ROUNlb  -ROBIN 


\& 


*  # 


llEOJNE 


Round- 
Series.      ^^Qi^i?      Series. 

$$*£?& 

A   NAMELESS    NOBLEMAN. 

A  romance  of  ancient  New  England  and  France.  The  Hartford  Co-urarf  says, 
"  The  author  has  preserved  for  us  in  it  the  odors  of  both  the  rose  of  Provence  and  the  may- 
flower  of  New  England." 

A   LESSON    IN    LOVE. 

A  brilliant  story  of  modern  society  in  New  York.  The  Alliance  calls  it  "  the  novel  of 
the  year."  x 

THE  GEORGIANS. 

A  powerful  study  of  Southern  character.  "  We  think  this  book  very  close  upon  Haw- 
thorne's best  effort.  .  .  .  The  grand  and  profound  climax  of  the  story  lingers  in  the  mind 
like  the  story  of  Hester  Prynne." 

PATTY'S    PERVERSITIES.    ^ 

"  A  charming  story  of  quiet  New-England  life."  Nora  Perry  says,  "  It  is  the  most 
original  story  that  has  appeared  for  years." 

HOMOSELLE. 

A  picture  of  Virginia  plantation  life  under  the  old  rigime.  The  style  is  pure  and  ele- 
gant, abounding  in  touches  of  pathos  and  poetry.  "  The  book  would  not  be  out  of  place 
next  to  '  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin.'  — Literary  World. 


A  story  of  contemporary  life  in  New  York.    "  Deserves  to  be  ranked  with  the  character 
inting  of  Dickens.   — Philadelphia  Press. 


DAMEN'S   GHOST. 

iry  of  contemporary  life 
painting 

ROSEMARY  AND   RUE. 

A  romance  of  France  and  America  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution.  The  Literary 
World  says,  "  Its  manner  is  cultivated,  delicate,  and  every  way  beautiful.  It  is  full  of 
tenderness  and  sweetness;  it  is  fragrant  with  all  filial  and  marital  virtues;  it  is  more  than  a 
novel;  it  is  a  novelty." 

MADAME   LUCAS. 
Life  and  society  in  St.  Louis.    "  It  is  pretty  in  every  way."  —  Boston  Budget. 

A    TALLAHASSEE    GIRL. 

"  A  remarkable  story  of  life  in  the  picturesque  old  capital  of  .Florida,  among  the  semi- 
feudal  aristocracy  of  that  region." 

•  'ORjl 


JAMES  R.  OSGOOD  &  CO.,  211  TREMONT  ST.,  BOSTON. 


THE    ROUND-ROBIN    SERIES. 


DOROTHEA. 

A  quaint  and  delightful  Ji»ry  of  Philadelphia,  at  the  time  of  the  Centennial:  with  pic- 
turesque scenes  and  incidems,  and  the  complications  of  love-making  in  literary  and  artistic 

society.  _ 

^  DESMOND  *HUNDRED. 

t 

By  lift  author  of  "  A  Nameless  Nobleman." 


BY.  THE  AUTHOR  OF     ONE  SUMMER" 

SIXTEENTH    THOUSAND. 

AUNT     SERENA. 


"uKo 


By  BLANCHE  W.  HOWARD.    $1.25. 


if  tender  touches,  hu 
,     to  with. refined  humc 
•  >  its  f.is«inrnio 
work,  unconventional  in  tone  a 
high  place  nnion;;  the  best  writ 

"  A  much  stronger  novel  than 
ch^ractcrsjthc  theme  isVjiore  cc 
quiet  hum»r,  which  marTM  Miss  How 


''cr/.-  Witness. 

esh,  clean-cut  piece  of  literary 
Miss  Howard  is  entitled  to  a 
'oston  Transcript. 
.-as  is  broader,  there  are  more 
same  breezy,  healthy  tone,  and 
—  Boston  Traveller. 


A     PICKWICKIAN     PILGRIMAGE. 

Uy  JOHN  R.  G.  HASSARD.    One  volume,  small  i6mo.    $1.00. 

A  series  of  chapters  on  the  London  which  Dickens  celebrated,  the  haunts  of  Mr. 
Pickwick,  Mr.  Winkle,  the  \Vellers,  Mrs.  Gamp,  and  other  immortals;  with  excursions  to 
Rochester  and  Dorking,  and  a  boat-voyage  down  the  river  Wye,  by  Ross,  Monmouth,  and 
Tintern  Abbey. 

>k  to  be  thoroughly  enjoyed."  —  Boston  Transcript. 
••v  to  Dickens."  —  Philadelphia  .'• 
"  A.ch.umiiig  little  book."  —  New  York  tlfafl. 

"  The  little  tome  should  have  a  place  on  the  book-shelf  next  to  that  which  records  the 
wanderings  of  Winkle  and  Snodgrass."  —  Boston  Budget. 


-J  SOUTH     SEA     SKETCHES. 

A  narrative.     By  Mrs.  MADELINE  VINTOU  DAHLGREN.     One  volume,  lamo.    $1.50. 

Callao,  Lima,  the  island-;  and  ports  under  the  shadow  of  the  Andes,  Valparaiso,  San- 
tiago, and  other  beautiful  cities  of  the  South  Seas.  The  New  York  Commercial  Adver- 
tiser says,  "  The  work  is  of  extreme  interest." 


JAMES   R.   OSGOOD   &.  CO.,   BOSTON. 


ROUND -ROBIN  SERIES 


Leone 


f.        BOSTON 
JAMES   R.  OSGOOD   AND   COMPANY 

1882 


7 


COPYRIGHT,  1882, 
BY  JAMES  R.  OSGOOD  AND  COMPANY. 


All  rights  reserved. 


Jfranfcltn 

RAND,  AVERY,  AND  COMPANY, 
BOSTON. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER 

I. 

II. 

III. 

IV. 

V. 

VI. 

VII. 

VIII. 

IX. 

X. 

XI. 

XII. 

XIII. 

XIV. 

XV. 

XVI. 

XVII. 

XVIII. 

XIX. 

XX. 

XXI. 


PAGB 

THE  YOUNG  ARTISTS 5 

THE  CAPUCHIN  FATHER      .       .       .       .  15 

THE  MODEL 26 

THE  FAIR  YOUNG  AMERICAN      ...  40 

LEONE 58 

DREAMS  AND  FOREBODINGS  ....  72 

Ex  IGNOTIS  PARENTIBUS 90 

THE  STOLEN  PORTRAIT        ....  109 

THE  BRIGANDS 126 

AN  ITALIAN  SUNRISE 145 

SURPRISES 163 

THE  ENGAGEMENT  BROKEN         ...  192 

LEONE'S  AMBITION 211 

PREPARATIONS  FOR  DEPARTURE  ...  232 

THE  ROMAN  MODELS 252 

LEAVING  ROME 274 

THE  GOVERNOR  OF  ROME       .       .       .       .287 

THE  IMPROVISED  CHART      ....  308 

A  NIGHT  AMONG  THE  BRIGANDS    .       .       .  317 

THE  VENDETTA     .       . '     .       .       .       .  339 

CONCLUSION 365 

3 


221249-1 


LEONE. 

CHAPTER   I. 

THE   YOUNG   ARTISTS. 

"  /~~*OME,  Valeric,  stop  your  chattering,  and 
V-'  examine  my  picture.     I  shall  do  no  more 
to  it." 

This  was  said  by  a  young  artist  seated  before 
an  easel  upon  which  rested  the  portrait  of  a 
very  beautiful  young  woman.  He  had  just 
given  it  the  last  touches,  and  was  now  leaning 
back,  palette  in  hand,  earnestly  regarding  his 
work.  His  companion  was  working  carelessly 
upon  a  landscape ;  but  turning  round,  and  sit- 
ting astride  his  chair,  he  kept  on  "  chattering," 
regardless  of  his  friend's  request. 

"  Nothing  like  chattering,  my  dear  Silvio : 
it  helps  my  work,"  he  replied.  "That  is  the 


6  LEONE. 

beauty  of  my  profession :  I  can  work  and  talk 
at  the  same  time  ;  and,  if  I  do  not  keep  my 
tongue  running,  I  am  lost." 

"  I,  on  the  contrary,  work  .better  in  silence. 
I  can  concentrate  my  ideas  more  closely,"  ob- 
served Silvio. 

"Because  you  paint  figures,"  returned  the 
other;  "and  you  must  express  ideas,  thoughts, 
conceptions,  in  them :  but  for  a  landscape  you 
have  only  to  sketch  from  nature,  and  then 
copy  at  will;  the  eye  and  hand  can  do  all, 
without  giving  your  mind  to  it." 

"  I  may  not  think  as  you  do,"  said  Silvio 
in  his  quiet  voice;  "but  we  need  not  discuss 
that.  Though  you  do  not  paint  figures.  I 
value  your  judgment  of  them  very  highly." 

"  Oh !  as  to  that,"  replied  Valeric,  who,  all 
quickness  and  vivacity,  presented  a  strong  con- 
trast to  his  friend,  "I  do  not  say  it  to  boast, 
but  I  do  know  a  figure  from  a  scarecrow ;  and 
that  is  just  the  reason  why  I  will  not  attempt 
them.  Figures  require  application,  study  of 
anatomy,  of  facial  expression,  types,  characters, 
and  human  passions.  Such  a  scatterbrain  as 
I  would  break  down  under  such  a  strain  in  less 


THE    YOUNG  ARTISTS.  / 

than  a  month :  so  I  daub  canvas  with  '  fresh 
woods  and  pastures  new,'  and  let  it  go  for 
what  it  is  worth." 

"  You  rate  yourself  too  low,  my  dear  Valeric ; 
for,  when  you  are  in  the  vein,  you  know  you 
paint  admirably.  Your  landscapes  would  do 
honor  to  any  artist,  if  you  would  not  be  so 
careless,  and  only  half  finish  your  pictures." 

"  Why  should  I  slave  like  -a  dog  to  produce 
fine  work,  when  nowadays  people  buy  pictures 
by  the  yard,  and  not  by  merit  ? "  cried  Valeric, 
who  had  one  of  those  impulsive  Italian  natures 
so  easily  excited.  "They  pay  me  as  much  for 
a  bad  picture  as  for  a  good  one,  —  two  feet  by 
four,  twenty-five  scudi ;  three  feet  by  six,  fifty, 
—  so  I  cover  as  large  a  canvas  as  I  can,  and  let 
it  go." 

"  O  Valeric,  what  heresy ! "  exclaimed  Sil- 
vio, whose  noble,  inspired  face,  type  of  the 
youthful  Raphael,  was  radiant  with  love  for  his 
art.  "  If  I  did  not  know  that  your  heart  is* 
better  than  your  tongue,  I  should  place  you 
among  the  miserable  crowd  whose  only  aim  is 
'filthy  lucre.'  The  true  artist  loves  Art  for 
her  own  sake." 


8  LEONE. 

"  Hold  on,  hold  on  !  about  art  for  the  love 
of  it,"  cried  Valeric  with  animation.  "  It  is 
all  very  well  for  yon,  who  have  a  banker  at 
your  command  to  furnish  all  the  money  you 
want ;  but  for  a  poor  devil  like  me,  with  my 
aged  parents  to  support,  I  assure  you,  money  is 
my  principal  object  and  chief  stimulus  to  labor. 
If  I  were  like  you,  instead  of  working  so  hard 
on  figures,  groups,  portraits,  and  battle-pieces, 
I  should  be  roaming  all  over  the  world, 
crossing  every  ocean,  —  one  day  on  the  summit 
of  the  Alps,  another  on  the  plains  of  France, 
ascending  the  ruin-crowned  Rhine,  descending 
the  dark  Danube ;  I  would  visit  the  stormy 
shores  of  the  Baltic,  the  Pyramids  on  the  banks 
of  the  Nile ;  I  would  cross  the  Atlantic,  and 
behold  Nature  in  her  primeval  freshness  among 
the  forests  of  the  'North,  the  plains  of  the 
West,  down  the  Mississippi,  up  the  Amazon  ;  I 
would  penetrate  to  the  very  heart  of  the  Andes." 
He  was  continuing  to  hold  forth  in  a  mock 
oratorical  manner,  waving  his  palette  in  his 
left  hand,  and  brandishing  his  brush  in  his 
right,  as  if  pointing  out  the  different  places  as 
he  mentioned  them.  He  stopped  short  in  his 


THE    YOUNG  ARTISTS.  9 

harangue,  however,  arrested  by  the  pallor  and 
depression  that  shadowed  his  friend's  face,  as 
he  sat  silent  and  dejected,  making  no  effort 
to  stop  the  flow  of  Valerie's  eloquence.  Throw- 
ing brush  and  palette  upon  a  chair,  he  ran  to 
Silvio,  and,  laying  his  hands  affectionately  upon 
his  shoulders,  said,  "What  is  the  matter,  my 
dear  fellow  ?  Why  are  you  so  sad  ? "  Then, 
striking  his  forehead,  he  cried  in  a  tone  of  re- 
morse, "Oh,  how  abominably  thoughtless  I 
am  !  Forgive  me,  my  dear  Silvio  :  I  know  that 
you  never  like  any  allusion  made  to  your  bank- 
er. Forgive  me  :  I  ought  to  have  remembered. 
I  know  it  always  makes  you  low-spirited :  do 
pardon  me,  my  friend." 

Silvio  rose,  and,  taking  both  hands  of  his 
friend,  said  gently,  "  No  more  excuses,  dear 
Valerio :  I  know  that  you  would  never  hurt 
my  feelings  intentionally.  We  have  not  been 
friends  from  childhood  for  nothing." 

"  Indeed  we  have  not,  and  I  have  always 
respected  your  secret  about  your  banker.  It 
was  quite  by  accident "  — 

"Secret!"  interrupted  Silvio.  "If  there 
had  been  a  secret,  I  should  already  have  con- 


10  LEONE. 

fided  it  to  you.  But  I  have  no  secret :  I  am 
as  much  in  the  dark  as  you." 

"  What !  No  secret !  "  exclaimed  Valeric  in 
amazement.  "Then,  what  are  your  relations 
with  him,  if  I  may  be  allowed  the  question?" 

"Purely  of  a  business  nature.  Whenever  I 
need  money,  I  go  to  him,  and  he  furnishes  me 
with  any  sum  I  ask,  on  my  signing  a  receipt 
for  it." 

Valerio,  at  this  assertion,  opened  his  black 
eyes  to  their  fullest  extent,  crying,  "Wonder- 
ful banker  !  Extraordinary  banker  !  The  very 
paragon  of  bankers  !  And  it  makes  you  de- 
spondent to  have  such  an  unheard-of  banker 
at  your  service !  For  my  part,  I  wish  I  had 
half  a  dozen." 

"  You  would  be  as  unhappy  as  I  am,  if  you 
knew  nothing  of  the  source  of  these  funds,  and 
would  be  as  unwilling  to  use  them  as  I  have 
become  since  I  grew  old  enough  to  consider." 

"  Pooh,  nonsense !  Indeed  I  would  not,"  re- 
torted Valerio.  "When  I  am  thirsty,  and 
come  across  a  cool,  shady  brook  of  living  water 
to  drink  from,  I  do  not  worry  about  its  source." 

"  Ah,  Valerio !     Your  images  are  always  of 


THE    YOUNG  ARTISTS.  II 

Arcadian  life,  of  brooks  and  flowery  fields, 
of  nymphs  and  satyrs,  the  innocent,  golden  age 
of  Nature,  when  sylvan  gods  and  lovely  shep- 
herdesses wooed  in  shady  nooks  and  leafy  bow- 
ers. But  we  live  in  a  wicked,  corrupt  world, 
where  at  every  step  you  may  stumble  on  a 
crime."  Here  Silvio  dropped  his  voice  almost 
to  a  whisper,  and  added  with  intense  feeling, 
"Who  furnishes  this  money  ?  What  right  have 
I  to  it  ?  Who  am  I  ? " 

His  friend  hardly  allowed  him  to  finish  speak- 
ing, but  broke  forth  with,  "  Who  are  you  ? 
Why,  one  of  the  noblest  men  ever  created. 
Have  I  shared  your  room  while  we  were  boys 
at  college,  students  at  the  academy,  artists  in 
our  studio,  not  to  know  what  a  loving  soul,  a 
fine  intellect,  a  kind  friend,  an  honest  man,  a 
brave  artist,  you  are  ? "  So  saying,  he  clasped 
Silvio  in  his  arms  with  a  spontaneous  move- 
ment of  affection  and  enthusiasm,  prompted  by 
his  ardent,  lofty  nature. 

"  If  that  is  enough  for  you,  generous  friend, 
it  is  not  enough  for  the  world  —  it  is  not 
enough  for  me"  returned  Silvio  with  deep  emo- 
tion. 


12  LEONE. 

"Pooh,  nonsense!"  rejoined  Valeric,  resum- 
ing his  wonted  cheerfulness.  "Drive  away 
these  gloomy  thoughts.  Let  the  obscure  past 
take  care  of  itself.  Live  for  art  and  the 
future.  Nature  has  endowed  you  with  the  vital 
spark  of  genius,  which  she  denies  to  millions. 
Be  thankful  for  that,  and  ask  no  more.  Why 
dive  into  mysteries  which  you  cannot  solve, 
and  which,  if  solved,  might  become  sources 
of  misery  ?  Let  us  speak  no  more  of  it ;  and 
forgive  my  carelessness,  which  started  a  subject 
that  should  be  sacred  between  us.  Come,  let 
me  see  your  picture." 

Silvio  stepped  aside,  and  Valerio  stood  gazing 
at  it  with  the  enthusiastic  admiration  which 
appreciative  natures  feel  when  in  the  presence 
of  a  creation  of  genius.  He  remained  silent  a 
long  time  ;  then,  turning  to  his  friend,  he  said,  — 

"  It  is  worthy  of  Guido  Reni,  my  dear  fellow. 
How  wonderfully  beautiful !  What  softness, 
what  delicacy !  But  why  that  cloud  of  melan- 
choly in  her  expression?  Yet  —  wait" — and 
he  examined  the  picture  still  more  attentively, 
then  resumed,  smiling,  "  Why,  Silvio !  did  you 
use  the  looking-glass  for  a  model  ?  It  is  your 


THE    YOUNG  ARTISTS.  13 

own  face  idealized.  It  might  be  the  portrait 
of  your  sister,  if  you  had  one.  Is  it  a  portrait, 
or  a  fancy  of  your  own  ? " 

"A  mere  copy  of  an  ideal  that  has  been 
haunting  me,"  replied  Silvio. 

"  I  see  that  it  is  an  ideal,  for  no  such  angelic 
creature  ever  graced  this  earth.  Well  done, 
Silvio,  well  done.  It  is  your  masterpiece,  and 
will  surely  place  you  at  the  head  of  our  pro- 
fession." 

"You  are  too  partial,  Valeric,  too  enthusi- 
astic." 

"  Not  on  a  question  of  art,  I  assure  you.  I 
would  not  have  said  so,  if  it  were  not  my  hon- 
est conviction,"  replied  Valerio  ;  then,  glancing 
at  his  watch,  he  added  hurriedly,  "  Why,  it's 
twelve  o'clock  !  and  I  must  be  off  for  my  lesson 
to  the  fair  American." 

"  Don't  forget  to  give  her  my  best  regards." 

"Love,  you  mean.  I  will  remember,"  said 
Valerio  with  a  smile  full  of  meaning. 

"Don't  be  foolish,  Valerio.  You  know  I 
have  no  such  thought.  Moreover,  you  pay  her 
far  more  attention  than  I  do." 

"  I  did  until  I  saw  that  she  preferred  you. 


14  LEONE. 

So  I  stopped  short  at  friendship,  and  now  we 
talk  and  laugh,  and  are  as  merry  as  crickets ; 
but  I  resign  her  to  you  for  the  softer  sentiments." 

"  You  rattlepate ! "  remonstrated  Silvio  in  a 
reproachful  tone.  "You  know  perfectly  well 
that  there  can  never  be  any  thing  between  us. 
There  is  a  barrier  too  strong  ever  to  be  broken 
through." 

"  Oh,  nonsense !  Don't  talk  so.  If  you  can- 
not break  through  it,  Love  will  lend  you  his 
light  wings  to  fly  over  it,  were  it  as  high  as  the 
Alps.  Good-morning.  Meet  us  on  the  Pincio, 
for  we  are  going  there  to  sketch." 

He  changed  his  coat,  looked  into  a  dusty 
glass  to  adjust  his  cravat,  took  a  cane,  and  left 
the  room.  At  the  foot  of  the  stairs  he  met  a 
venerable  Capuchin  father  coming  up.  "  Father 
Francesco  !  "  he  exclaimed,  kissing  his  rosary. 

"The  peace  of  the  Lord  be  with  you,"  re- 
plied the  friar  in  a  winning  tone.  "  Where  are 
you  going  in  such  a  hurry  ? " 

"  Oh  !  I  have  a  lesson  to  give ;  but  I  am  very 
glad  you  have  come,  Silvio  is  so  low-spirited. 
Do  cheer  him  up  while  I  am  gone."  And  kiss- 
ing his  beads  again,  he  hurried  off. 


THE   CAPUCHIN  FATHER.  1 5 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  CAPUCHIN   FATHER. 

TTATHER  FRANCESCO  was  one  of  those 

f 

-*-  venerable  monks  whose  type  is  fast  disap- 
pearing from  Italy.  His  face  reminded  one  of 
the  head  of  the  Moses  of  Michael  Angelo.  His 
beard,  white  as  snow,  fell  to  a  great  length 
over  his  breast.  He  had  a  broad,  high  fore- 
head, an  aquiline  nose,  a  mouth  retaining  still 
the  fresh  coloring  of  youth  and  an  expression 
of  singular  sweetness.  His  hands  and  bare 
sandalled  feet  were  unusually  white,  his  move- 
ments slow  and  dignified,  contrasting  strongly 
with  the  coarse  maroon-colored  tunic,  and  girdle 
of  white  cord,  whence  depended  the  long  rosary 
of  rough  wooden  beads.  He  made  a  picture 
worthy  of  the  pencil  of  a  Raphael,  as  he  slowly 
ascended  the  stairs,  and  stood  for  a  moment 
on  the  threshold  of  the  young  artist's  studio, 
before  saying,  in  a  gentle  voice,  "Deo  gratias" 


16  LEONE. 

Silvio,  who  had  reseated  himself  thought- 
fully before  the  portrait,  started  up,  and  ran 
towards  him  as  a  child  would  to  his  mother, 
seizing  his  rosary  to  kiss ;  but  the  monk  pre- 
vented him,  raising  him  from  his  bending  pos- 
ture, and  embraced  him  tenderly,  saying,  — 

"  What  now,  my  son  ?  How  goes  it  with 
you  ?  Your  last  letter  gave  me  a  great  deal 
of  anxiety,  and  I  hastened  my  usual  visit  to 
Rome  on  purpose  to  see  you.  What  has  hap- 
pened ? " 

"  Oh  !  nothing  outwardly ;  but  I  wanted  so 
much  to  see  you,  to  speak  to  you,  to  ask  your 
advice.  But  first  sit  down,  and  tell  me  how 
you  are." 

He  closed  the  door,  seated  the  venerable 
man  in  a  straw  arm-chair,  and,  drawing  forward 
a  low  stool,  sat  down  close  beside  him,  looking 
up  affectionately  into  his  face. 

"  I  am  very  well  for  my  age,  thank  God  ;  but 
tell  me  about  yourself.  Why  were  you  so  anx- 
ious to  see  me  ? " 

"Ah,  father!  for  the  last  month  or  two  my 
mind  has  been  harassed  by  dreadful  fancies," 
replied  the  youth,  coloring 


THE   CAPUCHIN  FATHER.  I/ 

"Drive  them  away  as  evil  temptations,  my 
son." 

"  Oh,  if  I  only  could  !  "  cried  Silvio  ;  then,  as 
if  carried  away  by  his  feelings,  and  glad  to  be 
able  to  unburden  his  heart  to  one  whom  he  so 
loved  and  revered,  he  continued  with  agitation, 
"  Father  Francesco,  the  darkness  that  envel- 
ops my  past  life  has  of  late  weighed  heavily 
upon  my  spirit.  I  can  recall  only  your  benevo- 
lent face  appearing  to  me  at  school,  at  the 
Academy,  in  my  studio,  watching  over  my  edu- 
cation, my  welfare,  ever  kind,  ever  loving,  but 
with  never  a  word  that  could  dispel  the  mys- 
tery. I  have  dutifully  respected  your  secrets ; 
but  now  the  time  has  come  when  my  prospects 
in  life,  my  fame,  my  future  happiness,  depend 
on  the  knowledge  that  you  alone  possess. 
Look  at  my  paintings.  There  they  hang ;  for  I 
dare  not  exhibit  them  at  the  Academy,  though 
every  one  says  they  are  worthy  of  a  place  there." 

"And  why  not,  my  son  ?  " 

At  this  question,  the  young  man  looked  up, 
respectfully  but  somewhat  reproachfully,  at 
Father  Francesco,  as  he  slowly  replied  in  a 
lower  tone,  — 


1 8  LEONE. 

"  Do  you  ask  me  why  ?  By  what  name  shall 
I  sign  them  ? " 

The  pious  monk  calmly  returned  his  implor- 
ing gaze,  and,  resting  his  hand  gently  on  his 
head,  replied,  — 

"Silvio.  Is  not  Silvio  a  good  name  for  an 
artist  ?  It  was  after  mature  deliberation  that 
I  chose  for  you  this  profession,  in  which  you 
already  excel,  and  promise  to  rival  the  old  mas- 
ters. Art  needs  no  genealogy.  The  world 
says  Raphael,  Guido,  Michael  Angelo,  Titian ; 
and  that  suffices.  Work,  my  son  ;  imitate  their 
example ;  be  a  great  artist  and  a  good  man ; 
and  Silvio  will  be  a  name  praised,  admired, 
revered,  by  all  who  love  worth  and  genius." 

The  young  man  shook  his  head  doubtfully, 
saying,  "Ah,  Father  Francesco!  your  benevo- 
lent heart  inspires  your  head;  and  you  always 
find  words  to  quiet  my  restless  spirit,  and 
arouse  better  aspirations.  But  if  fame  can  ex- 
cite my  ambition,  it  can  never  satisfy  my  heart. 
The  world  may  admire  the  artist,  but  will  avoid 
the  man  ;  for  it  is  not  enough  to  say  I  am  hon- 
est, virtuous,  intelligent,  inspired  by  genius,  if  a 
cloud  hangs  over  my  birth.  Men  will  sneer  "  — 


THE   CAPUCHIN  FATHER.  1 9 

At  this  point  the  aged  monk  checked  his 
growing  excitement  by  a  gentle  touch,  and  with 
a  sympathizing  voice  interrupted  him. 

"  Be  patient  and  humble,  my  son.  Bear  with 
firmness  both  the  good  and  the  evil  which  may 
befall  you.  Had  it  been  in  my  power  to  re- 
lieve your  mind,  I  would  have  done  so  long  ago. 
But  I  am  a  servant  of  the  Lord's  poor :  my 
duty  requires  me  to  assist  them  in  their  misfor- 
tunes, without  inquiring  too  closely  into  their 
causes ;  and  thanks  be  unto  Him,  that,  with 
His  assistance,  I  have  been  able  to  do  so." 

"  Indeed  you  have,  my  benefactor ! "  ex- 
claimed Silvio,  repenting  his  impatience  —  "in- 
deed you  have.  I  owe  to  you  all  that  I  am,  — 
to  your  paternal  care,  to  your  advice,  to  your 
good  example." 

"  Not  to  me  alone,  my  son  ;  for  I  am  only  a 
humble  instrument  in  the  hands  of  others," 
replied  the  monk,  unwilling  to  take  credit  that 
did  not  belong  to  him. 

"  Who,  who  ?  The  banker  ? "  inquired  Sil- 
vio anxiously. 

"  Oh,  no  !  not  he.  He  is  merely  a  business 
agent." 


20  LEONE. 

"  Who  is  it,  then  ? "  cried  Silvio,  his  tone 
rising  almost  to  imperiousness  as  he  asked  the 
question.  But  as  he  met  the  calm  eyes  and 
compassionate  expression  of  the  venerable  old 
man,  he  checked  his  impetuosity,  and  implored, 
"  O  Father  Francesco,  by  the  love  you  have 
borne  me  from  my  infancy,  by  the  filial  affec- 
tion with  which  I  have  returned  it,  tell  me,  I 
beseech  you,  tell  me  ! " 

Father  Francesco  sat  tenderly  regarding  the 
slender  youth,  whose  delicately  cut  features 
and  long  chestnut  hair  reminded  the  observer 
of  Leonardo's  St.  John,  and,  gently  smoothing 
his  ruffled  locks  with  his  soft  white  hand,  spoke 
slowly  and  gravely  :  — 

"  Calm  yourself,  my  son  :  you  know  well  that 
what  has  been  revealed  to  us  under  the  seal  of 
confession  is  buried  in  our  bosoms  as  in  the 
grave.  Ask  no  more."  Then  in  a  lighter  tone, 
as  if  to  change  the  conversation,  he  added, 
"But  why  so  anxious  about  yourself  all  of  a 
sudden  ?  You  never  showed  much  concern 
about  it  before." 

Silvio,  at  this  question,  rose  from  his  low 
seat,  retreated  a  step,  and,  facing  the  good 


THE  CAPUCHIN  FATHER.  21 

father  with  almost  the  look  and  attitude  of  an 
improvisatore,  replied,  — 

"  Because  a  new  sensation  has  been  awakened 
within  me,  a  new  dawn  has  opened  on  the  dark 
horizon  of  my  existence,  the  rays  of  a  new  sun 
have  penetrated  to  the  dormant  faculties  of  my 
soul,  and  awakened  me  to  a  new  life.  Until 
now  I  have  worshipped  only  Art,  and  to  her 
Silvio  was  all-sufficient ;  but  will  Silvio  be 
enough  for  the  living  realization  of  my 
ideal  ? " 

Father  Francesco  sat  watching  as  the  chan- 
ging expressions  chased  each  other  over  the 
young  man's  face.  At  first  he  seemed  serious 
and  concerned,  but  at  these  last  words  a  genial 
smile  lit  up  his  face.  He  rose  from  his  chair, 
threw  his  arms  round  him,  saying,  — 

"  Why,  Silvio,  you  in  love !  Well,  well,  poor 
boy !  I  understand  you  now,  and  feel  for  you 
deeply.  It  would  have  been  better  if  you  had 
entered  the  monastery,  as  I  first  proposed ;  but 
you  had  no  vocation  for  it,  and  I  did  not  insist. 
Now  what  I  might  have  expected  has  happened  : 
you  are  in  love,  and  naturally  fear  that  the 
unknown  past  will  be  an  obstacle  in  your  way." 


22  LEONE. 

Then,  after  a  long  pause  of  deep  thought,  he 
resumed,  "  Do  not  despair :  I  am  going  back 
to  Sonnino  in  a  day  or  two,  and  you  had  better 
come  to  me  there  as  soon  as  you  can.  The 
mountain  air  will  do  you  good ;  and  who  knows 
but  that  I  may  be  able  to  arrange  something  in 
regard  to  this  matter  ? " 

"  At  Sonnino  ? "  repeated  Silvio  with  great 
surprise,  unable  to  imagine  what  possible  con- 
nection he  could  have  with  that  isolated  moun- 
tain village.  But  Father  Francesco,  seeing 
the  direction  of  his  thoughts,  somewhat  dryly 
replied,  — 

"  Why,  yes !  the  quiet  of  the  convent  life  will 
soothe  your  excitement,  and  steady  your  brain. 
Come,  no  more  of  this :  what  have  you  been 
painting  lately?" 

"This  is  my  last  work:  I  have  just  finished 
it,"  said  Silvio,  pointing  to  the  picture  on  the 
easel,  and  drawing  the  shades  so  as  to  throw 
the  proper  light  upon  it. 

Father  Francesco  examined  it  with  much 
interest,  and  with  the  eye  of  a  connoisseur,  then 
said  approvingly,  — 

"  Beautiful,  Silvio,  beautiful !  a  masterpiece  ! 


THE  CAPUCHIN  FATHER.  2$ 

Is  it  a  portrait,  or  an  ideal  for  a  Madonna? 
But  if  a  Madonna,"  he  added  in  a  moment  or 
two,  "you  have  shown  a  vanity  unworthy  of 
you.  You  have  painted  your  own  features 
softened  into  a  woman's  face." 

"  No,  no !  Father  Francesco.  I  must  not 
deceive  you.  It  is  not  an  ideal  face  :  it  is  a 
life-size  portrait,  enlarged  from  this  miniature 
that  has  always  hung  round  my  neck."  He 
took  a  locket  from  his  bosom,  and  handed  it  to 
Father  Francesco.  The  monk  opened  it,  and, 
while  comparing  it  with  the  portrait,  ob- 
served, — 

"  Oh,  yes  !  I  remember  now.  You  had  it  on 
when  you  were  intrusted  to  my  care.  Your 
copy  is  very  accurate,  a  perfect  likeness.  You 
have  succeeded  admirably,  my  dear  Silvio,  ad- 
mirably ;  only  you  have  given  her  a  sadder 
expression  than  in  the  original" 

While  the  father  was  speaking,  Silvio 
watched  him  earnestly,  then,  bending  towards 
him,  asked  eagerly,  — 

"Was  she  truly  my  mother?" 

Not  a  muscle  of  Father  Francesco's  face 
changed  as  he  calmly  replied,  — 


24  LEONE. 

"I  have  told  you  so  often.  Besides,  your 
likeness  to  her  is  sufficient  to  remove  every 
doubt  from  your  mind." 

And  he  returned  the  miniature.  Silvio 
pressed  it  to  his  lips,  exclaiming,  "O  mother, 
mother!  Why  did  I  never  know  you?" 

Father  Francesco  rested  one  hand  on  the 
youth's  shoulder,  and,  bending  over  him  until 
his  long  white  beard  blended  with  the  young 
painter's  bright  curls,  said  with  tender  sym- 
pathy, — 

"  Remember  that  many  lose  their  mothers  in 
childhood.  Grieve  not,  for  she  is  in  heaven 
among  the  blessed.  Pay  her  the  tribute  of  love 
you  owe  by  reproducing  her  dear  face,  invested 
with  the  halo  with  which  genius  immortalizes 
its  subjects." 

While  they  were  thus  standing  before  the 
easel  gazing  at  the  picture,  the  door,  which  was 
behind  them,  opened  noiselessly,  and  a  strange- 
looking  man,  standing  for  a  moment  on  the 
threshold  as  they  were  speaking,  stepped  for- 
ward softly,  and  looked  over  their  shoulders  at 
the  portrait.  The  sight  of  it  seemed  to  startle 
him  terribly ;  and  an  irrepressible  exclamation, 


THE   CAPUCHIN  FATHER.  2$ 

"  Ah,  Silvia ! "  escaped  his  lips.  Engrossed 
as  they  were,  the  cry,  though  quickly  sup- 
pressed, reached  their  ears ;  and  turning,  they 
found  themselves  face  to  face  with  a  model 


26  LEONE. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE    MODEL. 

T?ATHER   FRANCESCO  was  the  first  to 
r~< 

-*•  speak.  He  exclaimed  in  a  voice  of  ex- 
treme astonishment,  "  What !  You  here  !  " 

Silvio,  however,  who  had  also  turned,  recog- 
nized the  intruder,  and  said  carelessly,  — 

"  Why,  is  that  you,  Antonio  t  Where  the 
deuce  did  you  drop  from?"  Then,  noticing 
Father  Francesco's  amazement,  he  said  to  him, 
"  You  know  Antonio,  it  seems.  He  is  my 
favorite  model.  I  have  painted  him  in  every 
imaginable  character." 

"  Antonio  !  model !  "  repeated  Father  Fran- 
cesco almost  mechanically.  Then  a  rapid  inter- 
change of  glances  passed  between  him  and  the 
model,  who  hastily  interrupted  him,  saying,  — 

"  Why  not  ?  Do  I  not  make  a  good  model  ? 
When  work  is  scarce  in  our  mountains,  I  come 
to  the  city,  and  earn  something  this  way." 


THE  MODEL.  2/ 

Italians,  especially  those  of  the  southern 
provinces,  have  a  peculiar  faculty  of  speaking 
by  almost  imperceptible  glances.  Any  one 
acquainted  with  that  faculty,  which  they  have 
reduced  almost  to  a  science,  would  have  under- 
stood Father  Francesco  to  say,  with  that  single 
flash  of  his  eyes,  "  Do  you  dare  to  come  to  the 
city?"  and  Antonio  to  reply,  "Hush!  Fear 
not  for  me ; "  and  all  so  quickly  done,  that  Sil- 
vio, though  an  Italian  himself,  having  no  cause 
to  suspect  any  secrets  between  the  two,  did  not 
perceive  it.  Father  Francesco,  after  this  silent 
recognition,  turned  to  the  artist,  and  in  a  quiet, 
indifferent  manner,  said,  — 

"  I  was  surprised  to  see  Antonio  here.  He 
belongs  in  our  neighborhood ;  but  I  was  not 
aware  that  he  came  to  town  as  a  model." 

"  Oh,  yes  !  "  replied  Silvio.  "  I  have  known 
him  ever  so  long.  And  a  splendid  model  he  is. 
Look  at  him."  So  saying,  he  seized  Antonio 
by  the  arm,  and  turned  him  round  and  round 
before  Father  Francesco,  praising  every  detail 
of  his  figure,  and  the  artistic  arrangement  of 
his  peasant  dress,  much  to  the  inward  astonish- 
ment of  the  good  monk,  who  wondered  that 


28  LEONE. 

Antonio  allowed  himself  to  be  so  unceremoni- 
ously handled. 

The  admiration  of  the  young  artist  was  not 
undeserved,  for  Antonio  was  indeed  a  specimen 
of  the  finest  type  of  the  Roman  contadini,  as 
he  appeared  then ;  for  models  have  the  same 
privilege  as  actors,  and  make  themselves  up  for 
the  characters  they  are  meant  to  represent. 
He  had  an  oval  face,  a  complexion  bronzed  by 
the  Italian  sun,  an  aquiline  nose,  piercing  black 
eyes,  and  a  black  beard  slightly  tinged  with 
gray,  but  intentionally  rough  and  tangled,  as  if 
no  comb  or  brush  had  touched  it  for  weeks. 
His  hair,  evidently  a  wig,  was  very  black,  long, 
and  hung  in  a  mass  of  tight  ringlets.  He  was 
dressed  in  the  traditional  contadino  costume : 
the  olive  jacket  with  its  small  brass  buttons, 
the  red  vest,  coarse  shirt,  blue  leggings,  and 
sheepskin  coverings  strapped  on  his  feet,  giving 
facility  in  climbing  steep  rocks,  and  treading 
the  pavements  as  noiselessly  as  if  shod  with 
velvet.  He  had  not,  however,  the  hard  hands 
of  a  laborer  ;  and  through  a  slight  opening  in 
his  shirt  one  could  perceive  under-linen,  very 
white,  and  of  a  much  finer  quality  than  such 
people  generally  wear. 


THE  MODEL.  29 

After  Silvio  had  finished  his  exhibition  to 
Father  Francesco,  he  resumed,  "Well,  what 
do  you  think  of  him  ?  Is  he  not  a  fine  model  ? 
Though  he  is  very  uncertain  ;  for  he  is  here  for 
a  few  days,  and  then  we  do  not  see  him  for 
months.  But  he  is  very  faithful  to  me,  coming 
always  to  my  studio  when  he  is  in  town." 

"  You  are  so  good  and  generous,"  insinuated 
Antonio. 

Silvio,  not  to  be  outdone  in  courtesy,  re- 
turned, "And  you  are  so  patient  and  good- 
natured, —  standing  for  hours  in  one  position 
while  I  sketch.  But  I  am  sorry  I  have  nothing 
for  you  just  now,  for  I  have  been  painting  a 
female  figure.  Look  at  it,  Antonio.  What  do 
you  think  of  it  ?  " 

Antonio  needed  no  invitation  ;  for,  ever  since 
he  had  been  in  the  room,  his  eyes  had  eagerly 
turned  to  the  picture  whenever  he  had  had  an 
opportunity.  At  this  question,  he  replied  in- 
voluntarily, with  suppressed  agitation,  "Won- 
derful !  Wonderful  likeness  ! " 

Silvio  started  in  astonishment,  crying,  "  Like- 
ness ?  To  whom  ?  Have  you  ever  seen  the 
original  ? " 


3O  LEONE. 

But  Antonio  had  recovered  his  self-posses- 
sion, and  replied,  "Oh,  no!  I  meant — likeness 
—  to  yourself.  It  resembles  you  so  strongly: 
it  is  your  own  image.  It  must  be  a  sister  of 
yours,  eh  ? " 

"No,  Antonio.  It  is  the  portrait  of  my 
mother,  which  I  have  copied  from  a  miniature." 

"Your  mother!  Oh,  yes!  But  you  are  won- 
derfully like  her, — a  striking  likeness."  As 
he  spoke,  he  glanced  alternately  at  Silvio  and 
at  the  picture  with  intense  admiration.  Then, 
as  if  afraid  of  showing  too  much  interest,  he 
asked  carelessly, — 

"  It  is  quite  finished,  isn't  it  ?  " 

"Yes,  quite." 

"  Then,  why  don't  you  begin  something  new, 
and  employ  me?  I  may  stay  several  days  in 
the  city." 

"No,  Antonio.  I  have  promised  to  pay  Fa- 
ther Francesco  a  visit  at  Sonnino." 

"  At  Sonnino  ? "  repeated  Antonio,  surprised. 

"Yes,  at  Sonnino,  at  the  convent,"  said 
Father  Francesco. 

"At  your  convent?  Then  perhaps  I  may 
meet  you  there." 


THE  MODEL.  31 

"Very  well,  Antonio,"  replied  Silvio;  "and, 
if  you  bring  some  of  your  handsome  contadinas, 
I  may  paint  a  group  of  you  among  your  native 
rocks." 

"  Any  thing  you  like,  Signor  Silvio :  always 
at  your  service,"  ejaculated  Antonio,  hat  in 
hand,  bowing  obsequiously. 

" Good-by  then,  a  rivederci"  said  Silvio  ;  and, 
dismissing  him,  he  put  a  gold  napoleon  into 
his  hand,  which  Antonio  received  with  humble 
thanks. 

"  Always  good,  always  generous  !  The  Lord 
reward  you ! "  But  as  he  left  the  room,  he 
slipped  it  carelessly  into  one  of  his  many  pockets. 

Father  Francesco  had  stood  intently  watch- 
ing the  two,  particularly  the  model.  A  cloud 
of  suspicion  darkened  his  broad  forehead,  and 
he  seemed  uneasy  and  perplexed.  When  Anto- 
nio, after  taking  leave  of  Silvio,  respectfully 
kissed  his  hand  to  Father  Francesco  (as  is  the 
custom  of  the  contadini  when  they  meet  an 
ecclesiastic),  another  interchange  of  glances 
passed  between  them,  Father  Francesco  inti- 
mating, "  I  must  speak  to  you  soon,"  and  Anto- 
nio promising  compliance. 


32  LEONE. 

When  he  had  left  them,  Silvio,  who  was  far 
from  imagining  that  there  could  have  been  the 
slightest  communication  between  Father  Fran- 
cesco and  the  model,  resumed  the  conversation, 
saying,  — 

"  What  a  curious  old  fellow  that  Antonio  is ! " 

"  Have  you  known  him  long  ? " 

"  Ever  so  long.  He  is  my  best  model,  though 
by  fits  and  starts  ;  for  he  disappears,  then  comes 
back ;  then  he  is  off  again.  But  it  is  wonderful 
what  artistic  expressions  he  can  assume.  Once 
I  painted  him  as  a  brigand  ;  and  he  posed  him- 
self as  if  hidden  behind  a  rock,  his  eyes  gleam- 
ing wildly,  his  lips  pale,  his  hand  in  his  breast 
as  if  ready  to  draw  a  pistol  or  dagger,  and  an 
expression  of  savage  cunning  and  feline  watch- 
fulness, like  a  tiger  ready  to  spring.  Another 
time  I  painted  him  as  St.  Jerome  in  his  cave 
at  Bethlehem :  he  knelt  a  long  time  on  the 
ground  before  the  stone  crucifix,  his  face  assum- 
ing such  an  expression  of  penitence  and  sanc- 
tity, that  I  almost  fancied  tears  running  down 
his  cheeks.  I  have  that  picture  still,"  point- 
ing to  it,  as  it  hung  high  up  on  the  wall  under 
the  skylight.  "  I  never  saw  a  man  whose  face 


THE  MODEL.  33 

could  express  so  powerfully  the  opposite  pas- 
sions of  love  and  hate,  tenderness  and  cruelty, 
good  and  evil,  as  this  model,  Antonio." 

Father  Francesco  listened  thoughtfully  to 
the  description  given  by  the  young  artist ;  and, 
unwilling  to  arouse  any  suspicion  in  the  mind 
of  his  prot/g/,  he  observed,  — 

"You  must  not  be  surprised  at  this; for  these 
professional  models,  by  long  experience  with 
artists,  learn  to  express  human  passions  as  skil- 
fully as  actors."  Then,  looking  at  his  watch  in 
its  wooden  case  (for  Capuchins  are  not  allowed 
to  carry  gold  or  silver),  he  added,  "  I  must  go 
now." 

Silvio  offered  to  accompany  him  to  the  con- 
vent, on  his  way  to  the  Pincio ;  but,  while  he 
was  getting  ready,  a  new  interruption  occurred. 
A  curious-looking  man,  after  peeping  cautiously 
through  a  window  that  looked  into  the  entry, 
had  knocked  at  the  door,  and,  without  waiting 
for  permission,  had  lifted  the  latch,  and  entered 
the  studio.  Shutting  the  door  behind  him,  he 
advanced,  hat  in  hand,  asking  with  a  grin, 
"  Signer  Silvio  ? " 

He   was   dressed    in    plain    but    countrified 


34  LEONE. 

clothes,  such  as  might  be  worn  by  a  notary,  or 
even  a  priest  while  travelling.  But  his  head, 
thrown  into  relief  against  the  dark  panel  of  the 
door  behind  him,  stood  out  clear  and  bold,  like 
a  portrait  of  Rembrandt,  challenging  attention. 
His  coal-black  hair,  growing  down  almost  to  his 
eyebrows,  was  cut  close,  and  stood  up  like  the 
bristles  of  a  wild  boar.  His  eyes,  though  small 
and  bloodshot,  were  as  black  and  piercing  as 
Julius  Caesar's  (nigri  et  vegeti}.  His  nose,  thin 
and  hooked,  like  a  bird  of  prey,  added  to  the 
repulsiveness  of  the  upper  part  of  his  face ; 
but  the  lower  part  offered  a  curious  contrast. 
His  lips,  curved  and  smiling,  displayed  the 
handsomest  set  of  white  teeth  imaginable ;  and 
his  small,  dimpled  chin  and  fair  cheeks,  freshly 
shaved,  shone  white  below  his  sunburnt  cheek- 
bones and  temples. 

The  two  looked  with  some  surprise  at  this 
unexpected  apparition  ;  and  Silvio,  in  answer  to 
his  question,  replied,  "  Yes,  sir :  I  am  he." 

"No  need  of  asking  if  you  are  the  painter, 
for  I  see  the  evidence  before  me,"  said  the  man. 
"  Let  me  explain  my  errand.  I  am  a  resident 
of  St.  Germano ;  and,  coming  to  Rome  on  some 


THE  MODEL.  35 

business,  our  priest  commissioned  me  to  buy  a 
new  picture  of  the  Madonna  for  our  church,  as 
the  old  one  is  so  faded  out  that  it  can  hardly  be 
seen.  Here  in  Rome  I  inquired  who  was  the 
best  painter;  and  they  recommended  me  to 
come  to  you,  not  only  because  you  are  the  best, 
but  also  very  reasonable.  Now,  have  you  got 
one  ready,  as  I  must  return  soon  ?  " 

"  A  Madonna  ?  I  have  none  ready  to  sell ; 
but  I  might  paint  you  one,  if  you  will  tell  me 
what  Madonna  you  want." 

"  What ! "  replied  the  man,  as  if  astonished. 
"  No  Madonna  ready  painted !  What  is 
that  ? "  said  he,  pointing  to  the  picture  on 
the  easel. 

"  That  ?     Why,  that  is  a  lady's  portrait." 

"A  portrait!  Why  would  it  not  answer  for 
a  Madonna  ?  Are  not  the  best  Madonnas  por- 
traits of  beautiful  women  ? "  As  he  said  this, 
he  cast  a  sly  glance  at  Father  Francesco,  as  if 
appealing  to  him  as  authority.  He,  however, 
took  no  notice  of  it,  and  sat  quietly  waiting  for 
Silvio,  who  somewhat  impatiently  replied,  — 

"  Yes ;  but  this  is  a  private  portrait,  and  not 
for  sale." 


36  LEONE. 

"  Not  for  sale !  Don't  you  sell  your  pic- 
tures ? "  insisted  the  man. 

"Yes  ;  but  not  this  one." 

"  Not  that  one !  I  am  sorry ;  for  I  have 
taken  a  great  fancy  to  it.  It  would  look  splen- 
didly in  our  church.  It  would  attract  great 
crowds ;  and  who  knows  but  those  eyes  might 
wink  in  course  of  time  ?  They  are  very  hand- 
some eyes.  It  is  just  the  face  to  work  mira- 
cles," with  another  ineffectual  glance  at  Father 
Francesco.  "  What  do  you  say  to  a  thousand 
francs  ? " 

Here  he  assumed  what  he  meant  for  a  tempt- 
ing smile;  and  he  pronounced  the  words  "thou- 
sand francs  "  with  a  seductive  tone  of  voice,  as 
if  he  thought  there  could  be  no  refusal  to  such 
an  offer.  But  Silvio  was  impatient  at  his  perti- 
nacity, and  replied  curtly,  — 

"  I  have  told  you  that  it  is  not  for  sale.  I 
will  paint  you  a  Madonna  for  that  price ;  but 
this  is  a  private  portrait." 

"  What  if  it  is  a  private  portrait  ?  You  can 
paint  another,  or  duplicate  this.  I  shouldn't 
mind  if  it  were  a  copy  of  this."  He  ap- 
proached the  portrait,  and,  affecting  great  ad- 


THE  MODEL.  37 

miration  for  it,  continued  insinuatingly,  "  What 
do  you  say  to  twelve  hundred  francs  ?  Come, 
say  yes.  I  have  taken  a  great  fancy  io  this 
picture." 

Silvio  by  this  time  was  almost  out  of  temper, 
for  there  was  something  in  the  man  instinctive- 
ly repugnant  to  him :  so  he  answered  very 
shortly,  — 

"  Sir,  I  have  said  that  it  is  not  for  sale ;  and 
that  is  enough.  I  must  beg  you  to  excuse  me, 
for  I  am  just  going  out." 

The  man  looked  at  Silvio  with  a  peculiarly 
sarcastic  smile,  and  a  half-mocking,  half-savage 
expression,  saying  slowly,  — 

"  Well,  I  am  sorry  you  would  not  sell  it,  or  a 
copy  of  it.  Twelve  hundred  francs  is  a  good 
offer,  and  not  to  be  sneezed  at.  But  if  you 
won't  sell  it,  there  is  nothing  more  to  be  said ; 
and  I  must  find  my  Madonna  somewhere  else. 
Good-afternoon,  signore.  —  Your  blessing,  Holy 
Church!" — the  usual  way  in  which  country 
people  address  a  priest  or  monk  of  whose  name 
they  are  ignorant. 

Father  Francesco  bowed  in  acknowledgment 
of  the  salutation.  Silvio  replied,  "Good-after- 


38  LEONE, 

noon,  sir,"  and  opened  the  door  for  the  man  to 
go  out.  He,  however,  lingered  a  while,  as  if 
interested  in  the  paintings  hanging  about  the 
studio,  but  in  reality  taking  a  survey  of  the 
locality  with  his  lynx  eyes.  As  he  passed  close 
to  Silvio  on  his  way  out,  he  winked  at  him, 
and  whispered,  so  as  not  to  be  heard  by  Father 
Francesco,  — 

"  Fifteen  hundred  francs  ?  And  I  will  come 
for  it  when  the  old  monk  is  out  of  the  way." 

Silvio,  indignant  at  the  insinuation,  shut  the 
door  in  his  face  with  a  loud  "  No,  sir!  " 

The  man's  eyes  glared  savagely  as  the  door 
closed  with  a  bang,  and  an  instinctive  impulse 
carried  his  hand  to  his  breast.  He  half  turned 
to  raise  the  latch  and  enter  again,  but  suddenly 
checked  himself  with  a  cynical  laugh,  mutter- 
ing between  his  teeth,  as  he  descended  the 
stairs,  — 

"  Bah !  stupid  boy !  You  have  lost  fifteen 
hundred  francs,  and  more  if  you  wanted  it. 
Wouldn't  sell  it,  eh  ?  Ha,  ha,  ha !  Well,  you 
will  lose  it,  that's  all.  /  wouldn't  give  a  sou 
for  your  daub.  But  he  said,  '  I  must  have  that 
painting  at  any  price ; '  and,  when  he  says,  '  I 


THE  MODEL.  39 

must  have  it,'  he  will  have  it,  whether  you  like 
it  or  not." 

He  walked  a  short  distance;  and,  when  he 
reached  the  corner  of  a  street  that  led  to  the 
Piazza  di  Spagna,  he  stopped,  pulled  out  an  old 
meerschaum  pipe,  and  was  about  to  light  it, 
but  hesitated,  and  put  it  back,  muttering,  — 

"  Oh !  I  forgot  that  I  must  not  smoke  a  pipe 
when  I  am  dressed  like  a  gentleman.  Well,  I 
will  smoke  a  cigar." 

He  pulled  out  from  another  of  his  numerous 
pockets  a  very  elegant  cigar-case,  with  a  gold 
monogram  surmounted  by  a  coronet  upon  it. 
With  a  supercilious  air  he  took  out  a  cigar,  and 
lighted  it  at  a  tobacconist's  near  by,  still  dis- 
playing the  elegant  case  in  his  hand,  and  then 
wended  his  way  towards  the  Piazza  di  Spagna. 

Soon  after,  Father  Francesco  and  Silvio  came 
out  of  the  studio,  and  took  their  way  to  the 
convent  and  the  Pincio. 


40  LEONE. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   FAIR  YOUNG   AMERICAN. 

A  T  the  farthest  corner  of  the  Pincian  Hill, 
•*•  ^-  just  beyond  the  ancient  wall  of  Rome, 
overlooking  the  Borghese  garden,  and  screened 
from  the  public  promenade  by  garden-trees, 
shrubbery,  and  flowers,  stood  our  friend  Valeric, 
overlooking  and  directing  a  young  American 
girl  seated  on  a  camp-stool  before  a  portable 
easel,  sketching  the  beautiful  landscape  below. 
A  middle-aged  gentleman  half-lying  on  a  stone 
bench  near,  his  head  pillowed  on  a  folded 
shawl,  and  a  cigar  in  his  mouth,  evidently  her 
father,  and  an  elderly  servant- woman  seated  at 
a  little  distance  by  the  parapet,  completed  the 
group. 

Mr.  Norman,  a  wealthy  American  merchant, 
had  early  lost  his  wife ;  and  when  his  only 
daughter  Edith,  whom  he  idolized,  had  grown 
up  and  developed  strong  artistic  tastes,  he 


TffE  FAIR    YOUNG  AMERICAN.  4! 

retired  from  business,  and  took  her  to  Rome 
to  study.  They  had  been  there  for  several 
years,  and  spoke  Italian  fluently.  They^  lived 
very  quietly  and  unostentatiously,  —  she  en- 
tirely wrapped  up  in  her  art,  while  her  father 
spent  his  leisure  in- making  up  for  the  deficien- 
cies of  his  early  education. 

Edith  Norman  was  a  superb  specimen  of 
a  New-England  girl,  physically  and  mentally, 
having  been  brought  up  in  one  of  those  sub- 
urban homes  which  combine  the  healthy  life  of 
the  country  and  the  elegancies  and  intellect- 
ual advantages  of  the  city,  and,  though  wor- 
shipped by  her  father,  was  wholly  unspoiled. 
First  his  playmate,  then  his  companion,  his 
vigorous  though  somewhat  uncultivated  intel- 
lect and  lofty  moral  standard  gave  strength  and 
tone  to  her  character  without  lessening  her 
womanly  refinement.  Her  education  had  been 
carefully  attended  to.  She  was  a  good  scholar 
and  linguist ;  and,  though  she  had  never  been 
willing  to  submit  to  the  drudgery  of  learning 
music,  her  ear  and  taste  were  cultivated,  and 
she  thoroughly  appreciated  and  enjoyed  it :  but 
her  passion  was  for  art,  showing  itself  even  in 


42  LEONE. 

childhood,  when  she  drew  well  before  receiv- 
ing any  instruction.  Physically,  she  was  of 
the  best  type  of  the  American  of  English  de- 
scent,—  fair  complexion,  a  profusion  of  light, 
curly  chestnut  hair,  a  low  forehead,  a  small 
nose  (slightly  retrouss^},  cherry  lips,  and  deep- 
blue  eyes.  Although  her  features  were  not 
strikingly  beautiful,  they  were  illuminated  by 
the  intelligence,  goodness,  and  quick  sympathy 
which  made  her  the  sunshine  of  all  around. 

She  had  been  working  for  some  time  in 
silence,  only  interrupted  by  an  occasional  direc- 
tion from  Signor  Valerio,  which  she  obeyed 
without  speaking,  when  Mr.  Norman's  cigar 
dropped  from  his  lips,  and  he  started  to  pick 
it  up,  exclaiming,  — 

"  Why,  I  believe  I  am  falling  asleep  !  How 
are  you  getting  along,  Edith  ? " 

"Very  well,  papa.  I  shall  be  through  in  a 
few  minutes."  Then  taking  a  long,  earnest 
look,  to  impress  upon  her  memory  the  details 
which  she  wished  to  transfer  to  her  canvas,  she 
cried  with  enthusiasm,  — 

"What  a  magnificent  landscape  it  is!  Can 
I  ever  do  justice  to  it  ? " 


THE  FAIR    YOUNG  AMERICAN.  43 

Valeric  replied  encouragingly,  — 

"  I  am  sure  you  will.  You  have  a  happy 
faculty  of  seizing  the  picturesque  points^  of  a 
view,  and  work  them  up  rapidly."  Then,  while 
Miss  Edith  was  executing  some  details  to 
which  he  had  called  her  attention,  he  ap- 
proached Mr.  Norman,  saying,  "Is  not  this  a 
delightful  spot?" 

"  Delightful !  That  does  not  half  express 
it.  I  would  call  it  heavenly,  were  it  not  so 
treacherous ;  for  the  beauty  of  the  scene,  and 
the  soft,  warm  temperature,  enervate  a  man. 
I  do  not  wonder  at  your  Italian  do  Ice  far 
niente :  who  can  work  in  a  climate  like  this  ? 
Look  at  me  lying  here  smoking,  like  a  Nea- 
politan lazzarone  !  What  would  my  friends  at 
the  Exchange  say,  if  they  saw  me  now?  —  I, 
who  used  to  be  so  active." 

"Why,  papa!"  interrupted  Edith,  "they 
would  say,  that,  after  so  many  years  of  work, 
you  were  now  enjoying  the  otium  cum  digni- 
tate." 

"  Yes,  plenty  of  otium,  but  not  much  digni- 
tate,  basking  in  the  sun  of  Italy  on  a  bench  in 
a  public  park." 


44  LEONE. 

"Not  much  sun  either,  Mr.  Norman,  for  it 
is  almost  setting,"  observed  Valerio. 

"  So  it  is ! "  exclaimed  Mr.  Norman,  rising. 
"  How  time  slips  by !  I  must  have  been 
dozing." 

During  this  short  conversation  Edith  had 
from  time  to  time  glanced  towards  the  turning 
of  the  path  leading  to  the  circular  road,  as 
if  expecting  some  arrival ;  and  now  her  face 
brightened  with  pleasure,  as,  through  the  open- 
ings in  the  high  flowery  hedges,  she  caught 
sight  of  Silvio  slowly  approaching.  He  was 
cordially  greeted  as  he  joined  them,  though 
Valerio  reproached  him  for  being  so  late. 

"I  am  very  sorry,"  replied  he,  "but  my 
guardian  kept  me  longer  than  I  expected." 

Mr.  Norman  proposed  to  Edith  to  put  by  her 
painting,  and  walk  a  while.  "In  a  few  mo- 
ments," she  answered.  "I  am  just  putting  the 
last  touches  to  my  sketch." 

"  Oh,  yes !  I  know  what  your  few  moments 
are.  I  am  all  cramped  up,  lying  on  that  stone 
bench,  and  must  stretch  myself  a  little.  Come, 
Signer  Valerio,  we  will  take  a  turn,  and  be  back 
by  the  time  she  is  ready." 


THE  FAIR    YOUNG  AMERICAN.  45 

"  But,  papa,  don't  be  impatient :  I  shall  be 
through  directly,"  insisted  Edith,  who  shrunk 
from  being  left  alone  with  Silvio.  Buf  Mr. 
Norman,  without  heeding  her,  took  Valerie's 
arm,  saying  with  a  laugh,  "  Come  with  me ;  for 
if  you  stay  to  encourage  her,  she  will  not  be 
through  for  an  hour,"  and  walked  off. 

The  two  were  left  alone,  —  Edith  working 
steadily  at  her  painting;  Silvio  sitting  on  a 
camp-stool,  equally  silent,  beside  her.  She 
waited  for  him  to  say  something,  but  poor 
Silvio  dared  not  open  his  lips.  His  conver- 
sation with  his  guardian  in  the  morning  had 
affected  him  deeply  ;  and  now  that  he  was  alone 
with  the  woman  he  loved,  and  from  whom  he 
felt  more  than  ever  hopelessly  severed,  a  ner- 
vous agitation  overpowered  him,  so  that  he  was 
unable  to  speak.  So  they  remained  for  some 
time,  —  she  intent  upon  her  work;  he  watching 
her,  apparently  calm,  though  the  convulsive 
clinching  of  his  left  hand,  which  she  could  not 
see,  indicated  the  violent  emotions  which  he 
endeavored  to  conceal  from  her. 

Edith  finally  stopped  painting,  leaned  back 
a  little  to  observe  the  effect,  and  broke  the 
silence  with  .the  question,  — 


46  LEONE. 

"What  do  you  think  of  it,  Signer  Silvio?" 
Her  voice  was  very  musical,  and  her  com- 
mand of  Italian  perfect ;  while  her  slight  for- 
eign accent  rather  added  to  than  detracted  from 
its  melody.  Silvio  felt  all  its  charm ;  but  the 
appeal  to  his  artistic  judgment  recalled  him  to 
himself,  and  fixing  his  mind  upon  the  canvas, 
where  before  only  his  eyes  had  rested,  he  re- 
plied with  an  effort,  — 

"Admirable,  Miss  Edith,  truly  admirable!" 
"  You  think  so  ?  Then  I  will  not  add  another 
touch.  Besides,  it  is  growing  too  dark  to 
work;"  and  she  rose  to  gather  her  things  to- 
gether. The  maid,  who  had  been  half  asleep, 
came  forward,  and  folding  the  stools,  easel, 
and  portfolio,  took  them,  with  the  paint-box, 
and  departed  for  their  lodgings,  leaving  the 
young  people  alone.  They  strolled  on  until 
they  reached  the  wall  overlooking  the  Borghese 
gardens,  where  they  stood  watching  the  trees 
bathed  in  the  golden  light  of  the  sun,  which 
was  setting  behind  them,  until  it  gradually 
faded  and  disappeared. 

Edith  had  known  Silvio  and  Valerio  —  as  she 
had  many  other  artists,  both  native  and  foreign 


THE  FAIR    YOUNG  AMERICAN.  47 

—  ever  since  she  had  been  in  Rome.  The  only 
daughter  of  a  rich  man,  young,  pretty,  culti- 
vated, and  an  enthusiast  for  art,  she  had  re- 
ceived much  attention ;  and  offers  of  marriage 
would  have  poured  in  upon  her  like  arrows  into 
a  target  of  our  modern  archery  clubs,  had  she 
allowed  it.  But  she  was  one  of  those  women 
whose  feelings,  though  deep  and  strong,  are 
under  the  control  of  reason  and  common  sense. 
Feeling  it  dishonorable  to  encourage  love 
which  she  could  not  return,  she  employed  the 
bright  charm  of  her  manner  to  parry,  without 
offence,  the  attacks  of  her  numerous  admirers ; 
and  by  a  bon-mot,  a  repartee,  or,  when  too 
bold,  even  a  quick  sarcasm,  she  quenched  their 
ardor.  So,  after  a  while,  she  was  set  down  by 
the  Italians,  who  cannot  conceive  any  woman 
capable  of  resisting  their  seductions,  as  a  cold, 
unimpassioned,  white  lily  of  the  North  ;  by  the 
foreigners,  as  a  woman  whose  whole  heart  was 
so  absorbed  by  her  love  of  art,  and  desire  of 
excelling  in  it,  as  to  leave  no  room  for  any 
other  sentiment.  All  agreed,  however,  in  ex- 
tolling her  real  talent  and  charming  social 
qualities,  and  treated  her  with  marked  consid- 


48  LEONE. 

eration.  She  had  chosen  Valeric  for  her 
teacher,  because  of  his  great  artistic  merit  and 
total  absence  of  pretence  :  he  was  poor  and 
somewhat  eccentric,  but  honest  and  true,  while 
he  had  the  liveliness  and  simplicity  of  a  boy. 
His  first  attempt  at  gallantry  she  met  so  mer- 
rily, yet  so  resolutely,  that  he  understood  her 
friendly  earnestness,  and  never  overpassed  the 
bounds  then  tacitly  established.  He  always 
kissed  her  hand  when  they  met ;  and,  on  part- 
ing, she  generally  charged  him  to  "be  a  good 
boy." 

Among  all  the  young  Roman  artists,  one 
alone  had  never  approached  her  with  that  man- 
ner which  makes  a  woman  feel  "  This  man  will 
make  love  to  me,  if  I  will  let  him ; "  and  that 
one  was  Silvio.  Yet  she  knew  that  he  loved 
her,  and  with  the  deep  passion  of  a  high,  sensi- 
tive, noble  nature.  That  is  one  of  the  advan- 
tages of  women.  Nature  has  endowed  them 
with  such  delicacy  of  perception,  that  they  know 
when  a  man  loves  them,  whether  he  expresses 
it  or  not ;  while,  to  protect  that  delicacy,  she 
has  also  gifted  them  with  greater  powers  of 
concealment,  so  that  the  man  is  always  in  the 


THE  FA  IK    YOUNG  AMERICAN.  49 

dark.  Thus  Edith  had  long  known  that  Silvio 
loved  her  :  his  every  look,  every  gesture,  every 
act,  expressed  it;  while  she,  though  showing 
great  interest  in  his  paintings,  and  treating 
him  always  with  sincere  friendliness,  seemed  in 
his  eyes  cold  and  indifferent.  He  had  never 
painted  her  portrait ;  but  in  his  various  figures 
she  had  detected  her  blue  eyes  here,  her  chest- 
nut hair  there,  her  rosy  lips  in  one,  her  exqui- 
site complexion  in  another.  But  still  he  had 
never  addressed  a  word  of  love  to  her ;  and  she, 
though  visiting  his  studio  with  Valeric  to  see 
and  admire  each  new  work  of  his,  had  never 
betrayed  any  sentiment  but  for  his  high  artistic 
power.  Indeed,  this  was  the  first  time  that  they 
had  ever  been  actually  alone  together;  and 
their  secret  consciousness  gave  peculiar  power 
to  the  spell  of  tender  sadness  cast  over  them 
by  the  deepening  twilight. 

It  was  Silvio,  finally,  who,  as  if  suddenly 
awakening  from  a  revery,  turned  to  Edith  with 
a  hasty  movement,  and  broke  the  dangerous 
silence,  saying, — 

"It  is  growing  dark.  Would  you  like  to 
join  the  others  ? " 


50  LEONE. 

Edith  turned  to  him  somewhat  surprised  at 
this  unexpected  question,  and,  with  a  slight 
tinge  of  disappointment  at  his  desire  to  be  with 
the  others,  replied  coldly,  — 

"  You  are  anxious  to  be  with  Signor  Valerio." 

Silvio,  struck  by  her  tone,  looked  scrutiniz- 
ingly  at  her  as  he  answered  slowly,  "  He  is  my 
dearest  friend." 

"  Ah  ! "  cried  Edith,  thrown  off  her  guard ; 
"but  not  your  only  one."  Whether  it  was  the 
witchery  of  the  hour  and  place,  the  conscious- 
ness of  being  for  the  first  time  entirely  alone 
with  the  only  man  who  had  ever  attracted  her, 
or  a  rush  of  strong  emotion,  her  wonted  re- 
serve and  self-control  failed  her  for  the  moment, 
and  her  tone  and  look  were  so  soft  and  tender, 
that  to  Silvio  they  were  a  revelation.  He 
seized  her  hand,  and  with  a  quick  impulse 
seemed  about  to  open  his  whole  heart  to  her, 
but  suddenly,  as  if  checked  by  some  inward 
monitor,  drew  back  with  a  deep  sigh,  slowly, 
lingeringly,  loosed  his  hold,  and  replied  with 
forced  calmness,  — 

"No,  I  have  my  guardian,  —  Father  Fran- 
cesco." 


THE  FAIR    YOUNG  AMERICAN.  51 

Edith  had  watched  him  keenly,  and  noticed 
with  great  surprise  this  sudden  change.  Many 
suspicions  crossed  her  mind.  Certain  as  she 
was  of  his  present  affection,  the  only  explana- 
tion she  could  imagine  of  his  strange  manner 

—  some  previous  love-affair  which  fettered  him 

—  struck   her  painfully.     Summoning   all   her 
pride  and  self-control,  she  said  in  a  tone   of 
mere  friendly  interest,  — 

"Ah!  that  good  old  monk  whom  I  have 
met  occasionally  in  your  studio  ?  I  liked  him 
very  much,  he  seemed  so  good  and  kind.  Is 
he  a  relative  of  yours  ?  " 

"No,  only  my  guardian.  I  was  left  in  his 
charge  when  I  was  an  infant." 

"  Then  you,  like  myself,  never  had  the  tender 
care  of  a  mother,"  said  Edith  with  heartfelt 
sympathy. 

"  Nor  of  a  father  either :  I  was  left  an  orphan. 
As  far  as  I  know,  I  have  no  living  relative." 

"Excuse  me,"  said  Edith  with  a  smile:  "I 
did  not  mean  to  be  inquisitive,  although  I  am 
an  American ;  but  my  father  and  I  feel  a  deep 
interest  in  you,  you  are  so  different  from  most 
artists,  —  not  only  talented,  but  modest,  amia- 
ble"— 


52  LEONE. 

"And  wretched." 

"  Yes  ;  but  why  ?     Why  are  you  not  happy  ?  " 

"  Happy ! "  repeated  Silvio  with  a  wistful 
look.  "  No,  I  never  was,  and  fear  I  never  shall 
be!" 

Whenever  a  man  makes  such  an  avowal  to  a 
woman,  she  unhesitatingly  refers  it  to  hopeless 
love,  whether  for  herself  or  for  some  one  else , 
and  Edith  was  no  exception  to  her  sex.  She 
concluded,  therefore,  that  it  was  Silvio's  love 
that  made  him  so  despondent ;  and  if,  as  she 
had  felt  so  sure,  she  herself  was  the  object  of 
his  affection,  why,  a  word  from  her  could  dispel 
his  gloom,  but  his  constrained  manner  had 
made  that  word  hard  to  speak.  She  expostu- 
lated with  him,  saying,  — 

"You  have  no  right  to  say  that.  You  are 
young,  and  rank  already  among  the  first  artists 
in  Rome.  A  future  opens  before  you  that 
many  covet,  but  that  you  can  certainly  reach. 
Every  one  who  knows  you  pays  tribute  to  your 
genius.  What  can  you  desire  more  ? " 

Silvio  listened  sadly  to  the  praises  of  the 
enthusiastic  girl,  while  his  grief  was  deepened 
by  his  new  realization  of  the  love  that  uncon- 


THE  FAIR    YOUNG  AMERICAN.  53 

sciously  prompted  them.  He  remained  silent, 
and  she  continued,  — 

"  Why  do  you  not  speak  ?  This  is  some  new 
trouble  that  is  weighing  upon  you.  What  is  it  ? 
Will  you  not  tell  me  ?  Do  you  mistrust  me  ? " 

"  Mistrust  you  !  Edith,  my  "  —  Again  he 
checked  the  passionate  impulse  that  had  almost 
mastered  him,  and  turned  away,  saying  with 
deep  emotion,  "  You  know  not  what  you  ask. 
Forgive  me,  and  question  me  no  further." 

But  this  virtual  acknowledgment  of  some 
secret  grief,  some  mystery,  only  increased  her 
interest ;  and,  feeling  confident  of  her  power  to 
give  him  comfort,  she  replied,  — 

"  I  cannot  stand  quietly  by  when  you  are  in 
trouble.  You  never  had  a  sister,  nor  I  a 
brother :  look  upon  me  as  a  sister,  and  confide 
in  me.  I  may  be  able  to  dispel  your  sorrow. 
Tell  me  why  you  are  so  sad." 

"Telling  it  would  not  relieve  it.  You  could 
only  pity,  not  cure  me.  No  human  power  can 
uproot  it  from  my  heart." 

These  words  convinced  Edith  that  her  first 
vague  suspicion  of  a  previous  love  had  fallen 
even  short  of  the  truth.  How  could  she  so 


54  LEONE. 

have  deceived  herself?  She  turned  pale,  and 
faltered,  "  Your  heart  ?  Is  it,  then,  love  ? " 

The  question  seemed  to  startle  Silvio,  and 
carry  him  beyond  all  those  considerations  that 
had  hitherto  held  him  in  check.  Lifting  his 
head  proudly,  and  tossing  back  his  long  hair, 
he  fixed  his  burning  eyes  upon  her,  exclaim- 
ing,— 

"  Love !  I  have  not  dared  to  say  it,  even  to 
myself.  Art  has  hitherto  been  my  only  love. 
A  Madonna  of  Raphael,  a  face  of  Guido,  a  por- 
trait of  Titian,  some  ideal  of  my  own,  —  these 
have  been  my  only  loves.  But  I  have  shunned 
the  realization  of  such  ideals,  for  it  could  only 
have  added  to  my  wretchedness  the  misery  of  a 
love  necessarily  hopeless.  And  yet  I  feel  that 
I  could  love  with  all  the  passion  of  my  soul. 
Nay,  I  do  love  —  it  is  useless  to  try  and  dis- 
guise it  —  I  do  love."  He  seized  Edith's  hands 
almost  violently,  as  she  stood  half  frightened 
by  his  sudden  burst  of  passion  ;  and  bending 
towards  her  till  their  faces  almost  met,  his 
brilliant  eyes  softening  and  glowing,  he  con- 
tinued, — 

"  Edith,  from  the  first  moment  that  I  beheld 


THE  FAIR    YOUNG  AMERICAN.  5$ 

your  angelic  face,  my  artistic  loves  vanished 
before  the  spell  of  your  living  fascination.  I 
have  struggled,  but  in  vain  :  your  presence  has 
invaded  my  whole  being.  The  ideal  which  I 
had  formed  in  my  mind  and  enshrined  in  my 
heart  I  found  realized  in  you ;  and  now  you  sit 
there  enthroned  as  the  Madonna  of  my  sanc- 
tuary. Love!  Love  does  not  express  the 
thousandth  part  of  my  feeling :  it  is  adoration, 
worship,  infatuation.  When  Beato  Angelico, 
in  the  quiet  of  his  cell,  painted  his  immortal 
cherubim,  —  wonderful  creations  of  purity  and 
beauty,  —  little  did  he  think  that  Nature  could 
embody  them,  and  endow  them  with  soul,  senti- 
ment, goodness,  lofty  intellect,  enthusiasm,  and 
love.  Edith,  I  found  in  you  the  realization  of 
Beato  Angelico's  ideal,  and  I  have  loved  you 
from  the  first  moment  I  beheld  you." 

Edith  had  stood  as  if  spell-bound,  watching 
the  various  emotions  as  they  betrayed  them- 
selves on  Silvio's  expressive  face.  As  he  spoke, 
all  suspicion  of  another  or  previous  love  was 
totally  dispelled ;  and  she  felt  that  Silvio  had 
never  loved  before,  and  that  she  was  all  in  all 
to  him. 


$6  LEONE. 

Women  of  Edith's  temperament,  who  have 
been  accustomed  to  the  society  of  gentlemen, 
and  to  be  surrounded  with  admirers,  learn  to 
repel  easily  any  unwelcome  advances  ;  so  easily, 
indeed,  as  often  to  acquire  the  reputation  of 
heartlessness.  But  let  a  true  sentiment  pene- 
trate the  outer  coldness  that  a  high  sense  of 
honor,  propriety,  and  self-respect  imposes,  and 
their  hearts  respond  the  more  warmly  for  the 
previous  repression.  Edith,  once  thoroughly 
convinced  of  Silvio's  love,  expressed  neither 
doubt,  mistrust,  nor  hesitation  in  accepting  the 
avowal.  Though  blushing  deeply,  she  would 
not  hide  her  face  from  him,  but  met  his  pas- 
sionate gaze  with  her  clear,  tender  eyes,  as  she 
said,  — 

"  Silvio,  was  it  the  fear  that  your  love  might 
not  be  returned  which  made  you  so  unhappy  ? 
How  could  you  think  so  ?  Any  woman  might 
be  proud  to  win  the  love  of  one  like  you.  We 
Northern  races  are  not  so  demonstrative  as  you 
Italians ;  but  our  love  is  as  deep,  as  true,  and  as 
lasting.  Was  I  not  right  in  thinking  I  could 
cure  your  melancholy  ?  Silvio,  does  it  not  dis- 
pel your  sadness  when  I  say,  'I  love  you  in 
return'?" 


THE  FAIR    YOUNG  AMERICAN.  5/ 

She  spoke  softly,  tenderly,  but  with  all  the 
sincerity  and  frankness  of  a  noble-hearted 
woman ;  and  a  gleam  of  archness  pointed  the 
last  few  words,  as  she  looked  up  into  the  noble 
face  bending  over  her.  Silvio  seemed  bewil- 
dered, hardly  able  to  realize  the  full  force  of  her 
avowal.  He  watched  her  angelic  face  as  if  in 
a  trance ;  then,  slowly  bending  lower,  like  a 
worshipper  approaching  a  saint,  he  reverently 
impressed  upon  her  forehead  the  first  kiss  of 
love. 


58  LEONE. 


CHAPTER  V. 

LEONE. 

morning  after  the  event  narrated  in 
the  last  chapter  two  men  emerged  from 
a  large  hostelry  near  one  of  the  city  gates,  — 
the  resort  of  people  from  the  country  with 
their  horses.  One  was  the  country-fellow  who 
had  vainly  bargained  for  Silvio's  picture:  the 
other  was  Antonio,  the  model,  but  very  differ- 
ently dressed  in  a  modest  suit  of  brown,  a  blue 
cloak  thrown  over  his  shoulder,  and  a  broad- 
brimmed  black  hat  caught  up,  artist  fashion,  at 
one  side.  Great  as  was  the  change  made  by 
his  dress,  his  head  had  undergone  such  trans- 
figurement,  that  no  one  would  have  recognized 
it  as  that  of  the  model  of  the  previous  day. 
His  beard,  carefully  smoothed,  was  now  glossy 
black,  slightly  sprinkled  with  gray ;  his  hair  cut 
short  in  military  style,  and  much  grayer  than 
his  beard;  his  mustache  waxed  and  pointed 


LEONE.  59 

His  carriage  was  stern  and  imposing,  as  of  one 
born  to  command.  They  walked  slowly  and  in 
deep  conversation,  Antonio  evidently  giving 
particular  instructions  to  his  companion,  who 
received  them  with  an  air  of  great  submission. 
When  they  reached  the  door  of  the  Capuchin 
convent,  Antonio  said,  as  if  summing  up  his 
instructions,  — 

"Now,  Maso,  be  cautious  and  on  the  alert. 
Get  two  or  three  men,  no  more,  and  take  away 
the  picture  this  evening  while  the  young  men 
are  out.  Here  is  the  money  which  you  are  to 
leave  on  the  easel,"  handing  him  a  purse;  "and 
here  is  enough  for  the  men  you  employ,"  giv- 
ing him  several  gold  pieces.  "  At  ten  o'clock 
let  every  thing  be  ready  for  our  departure."  So 
saying,  he  motioned  him  to  be  off,  and  entered 
the  convent  gate. 

Maso  replied,  "Yes,  captain,"  as  Antonio 
disappeared,  then  stood  a  while  gazing  at  the 
purse  of  gold,  then  turning  over  the  gold  pieces 
in  his  other  hand.  Finally  he  put  both  into 
his  pocket,  took  out  his  coronetted  cigar-case, 
selected  and  lighted  a  cigar,  and  walked  off 
gesticulating  and  muttering  as  if  his  mind  was 


60  LEONE. 

deeply  disturbed.  His  thoughts,  if  put  into 
speech,  would  have  run  somewhat  as  follows  :  — 
"  Two  thousand  francs  for  a  daub  of  a  Ma- 
donna !  Surely  our  captain  has  lost  his  wits. 
And  five  hundred  for  me  to  hire  friends  to  steal 
it  to-night !  Steal  a  picture  in  the  heart  of  the 
city,  where  the  police  are  as  thick  as  flies,  at 
the  risk  of  getting  us  all  into  the  galleys,  and 
then  leave  two  thousand  francs  for  it !  It  is 
the  most  extraordinary  piece  of  business  our 
captain  ever  put  me  to.  I  wonder  if  it  is  a 
miraculous  Madonna,  and  he  has  some  scruples 
about  taking  it !  The  idea  of  our  having  any 
scruples  !  Still,  he  goes  very  often  to  that  old 
prior.  I  wonder  if  the  old  monk  is  trying  to 
convert  him !  That  would  be  serious.  Why 
so  ?  Couldn't  we  get  along  without  him  ?  In- 
deed, he  has  acted  very  strangely  of  late,  going 
in  and  out  of  the  city  at  great  risk ;  and  not 
a  single  job  has  been  accomplished  for  some 
time.  I  must  consult  Pietraccio  about  it. 
Why  couldn't  Pietraccio  take  his  place  ?  I 
could  rule  him  so  easily ;  while,  with  the  cap- 
tain, there  is  nothing  for  it  but  to  obey.  Ugh, 
I  must  think  seriously  about  it." 


LEONE.  6 1 

Thus  cogitating,  he  arrived  at  a  low  tavern, 
which  he  entered,  and  was  soon  after  joined  by 
some  very  suspicious  looking  men,  who  sat 
down  to  an  excellent  dinner  with  him,  talking 
earnestly  together  in  a  low  tone ;  and  there 
we  leave  him. 

Antonio,  meanwhile,  had  ascended  the  mar- 
ble staircase  of  the  convent,  and  knocked  at 
the  door  of  Father  Francesco's  cell.  The  father 
was  expecting  him,  and,  opening  the  door  for 
him  to  enter,  closed  it  carefully  behind  him, 
and  they  stood  face  to  face. 

"  Father  Francesco,  I  am  here  at  your  sum- 
mons." 

The  monk  gave  him  a  chair  beside  a  little 
table  upon  which  stood  a  crucifix  and  a  few 
religious  books.  He  seated  himself  in  an  old 
high-backed  leathern  arm-chair,  and  said  in  a 
gentle  tone, — 

"Leone,"  —  for  that  was  his  real  name,  by 
which  we  also  shall  henceforth  call  him,  —  "a 
very  serious  matter  induced  me  to  ask  this 
interview,  —  Silvio's  welfare." 

At  the  mention  of  Silvio's  name,  Leone's 
haughty  and  almost  savage  expression  suddenly 


62  LEONE. 

relaxed ;  and  he  replied  with  anxious  inter- 
est,— 

"  Silvio  ?  What  can  I  do  for  him  ?  My 
wealth,  my  life,  are  at  his  disposal." 

Father  Francesco,  long  accustomed  to  the 
exaggerated  expressions  of  Southern  natures, 
replied  with  a  smile,  "Neither  of  these,  but 
peace  of  mind,  is  what  he  wants  ;  and  you  alone 
can  give  it  to  him." 

"  I  ? "  said  Leone  with  surprise. 

"Yes,  you,  and  you  alone." 

"  I  do  not  understand  you." 

Father  Francesco  drew  his  chair  a  little 
closer,  and,  bending  earnestly  towards  his  com- 
panion, said  in  a  low  but  penetrating  voice, 
"  Leone,  do  you  remember  the  day  you  brought 
that  boy  to  me  ? " 

Leone's  stern  features  seemed  suddenly  to 
soften  at  this  question.  He  sat  silent,  thought- 
ful, for  a  while,  then,  almost  as  if  speaking  to 
himself,  he  said,  "Remember?  Yes,  as  if  it 
were  yesterday.  You  were  sitting  in  the  con- 
fessional, and  I  approached  as  if  with  the  in- 
tention of  confessing.  I  told  you  who  I  was ; 
that  surprised  you  :  then  I  stated  that  I  did 


LEONE.  63 

not  come  for  confession,  but  to  beg  you  to 
take  charge  of  a  child  whom  I  desired  "to  have 
brought  up  away  from  the  life  I  was  leading. 
You  refused  at  first,  but  finally  consented." 

"  Yes ;  but  you  remember  the  conditions. 
You  promised  to  relinquish  all  claim  to  him, 
and  never  to  reveal  what  relationship  there 
might  be  between  you." 

"  True.  Have  I  not  kept  them  ?  I  placed 
sufficient  sums  in  your  hands,  through  a  banker, 
for  his  support  and  education,  and  left  all  the 
rest  to  you." 

"But  you  never  explained  to  me  who  the 
child  was,  nor  what  was  your  relationship.  You 
only  asked  me  to  call  him  Silvio." 

"  I  had  my  reasons,"  replied  Leone  curtly. 

"  But  this  revelation  is  now  necessary.  Sil- 
vio is  in  love ;  but  how  can  he  hope  to  marry 
while  his  parentage  is  unknown  ? " 

"  Silvio  in  love  !  "  exclaimed  Leone  with  sur- 
prise. "What  obstacle  can  there  be  to  his 
marriage  ?  Money  ?  I  can  settle  a  fortune  on 
him,  if  necessary." 

At  this  assertion  Father  Francesco  stared  at 
him  with  amazement ;  then,  drawing  himself  up 
with  dignity,  he  said  in  a  severe  tone,  — 


64  LEONE. 

"Leone,  your  life  in  the  mountains  has  so 
blunted  your  moral  sense  that  you  imagine 
money  can  do  every  thing.  And  what  money  ? 
The  proceeds  of  a  life  of  crime." 

Leone's  eyes  flashed  angrily ;  but,  as  they 
met  the  solemn,  steadfast  gaze  of  the  venerable 
monk,  they  wavered  and  fell  before  it,  while 
Father  Francesco  continued,  "Nay,  start  not. 
I  must  speak  as  my  duty  and  conscience  dic- 
tate. Leone,  yours  is  ill-gotten  gold.  Restore 
it  to  its  rightful  owners ;  or,  if  that  is  impossi- 
ble, give  it  in  charity,  clothe  yourself  in  sack- 
cloth, and  ask  forgiveness  from  the  mercy  of 
God,  for  your  manifold  sins  "  — 

Leone  started  to  his  feet,  grasping  convul- 
sively the  back  of  his  chair.  His  expression 
grew  bold  and  defiant,  though  without  any  irri- 
tation at  the  good  monk's  accusations  and  re- 
proofs, and  he  haughtily  exclaimed,  — 

"  Enough,  Father  Francesco !  I  will  come 
to  confession  and  repentance  when  I  feel  dis- 
posed. I  am  here  now  only  to  speak  of  Silvio. 
As  to  repentance,  I  may  yet  repent,  but  not  of 
the  sins  with  which  you  charge  me.  I  am  a 
brigand,  not  a  robber,"  he  cried,  with  a  fierce 


LEONE,  65 

toss  of  his  head.  Then,  as  if  carried  away  by 
emotion,  he  continued  with  vehemence,  "So- 
ciety has  cast  me  out  of  its  pale,  declared  war 
against  me ;  and  I  have  accepted  the  challenge. 
I  attack  society,  not  individuals.  Have  you 
ever  heard  of  my  robbing  a  wayfarer,  an  or- 
phan, or  a  widow  ?  That  member  of  my  band 
who  once  dared  to  rob  a  poor  peddler  of  his 
hard-earned  money  was  found  the  next  morn- 
ing hanging  on  the  tree  beneath  which  he  com- 
mitted the  crime.1  This  is  brigands'  justice. 
But  Government  is  at  war  with  me,  and  I  claim 
the  rights  of  war  against  it.  The  rich  land- 
owners of  the  Campania  I  tax,  and  they  pay 
readily.  Why  not  ?  Who  protects  them  and 
their  property  ?  The  Government  ?  If  they 
had  to  rely  upon  that,  they  would  never  reap  a 
sheaf  of  wheat  out  of  their  vast  estates.  But  I 
am  king  of  the  mountains,  and  whoever  pays 
tribute  to  me  is  assured  both  of  life  and  prop- 
erty. Who  would  dare  to  molest  them  while 
they  are  under  my  protection  ? "  And  no  king 
born  to  the  purple,  and  seated  on  his  throne, 
could  have  surpassed  his  regal  air,  as  he  thus 

1  Historical. 


66  LEONE. 

vindicated  himself ;  while  Father  Francesco 
thought  sadly,  "  What  a  strong  nature,  but  how 
warped  and  led  astray ! "  Leone,  after  a  slight 
pause,  resumed, — 

"And  who  does  more  good  with  the  money 
than  I  ?  Has  a  poor  man  ever  yet  applied  to 
me  for  assistance,  and  returned  empty-handed  ? 
Did  I  not  distribute  a  bag  of  wheat  to  every 
poor  family  in  your  village  on  the  occasion  of 
my  sister's  marriage  ?  Did  I  not  pay  for  the 
new  organ  in  your  church,  though  you  knew 
not' at  the  time  whence  the  money  came  ? "  * 

"Yes,  indeed,"  assented  Father  Francesco. 
"And  I  would  not  have  accepted  it  if  I  had 
known.  But  no  more  of  this.  Let  us  return 
to  Silvio.  What  relation  is  he  to  you  ? " 

Leone's  brow  contracted,  as  if  from  some 
painful  recollection.  Then  he  said  slowly  but 
firmly,  — 

"Father  Francesco,  do  you  not  remember 
our  agreement  ? " 

"Yes.  You  were  never  to  reveal  to  him 
whatever  connection  or  relationship  there  may 
be  between  you.  But  now  the  time  has  come 

1  Historical. 


LEONE.  67 

when  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  require  you  to  reveal 
it  to  me.  I  know  you  love  Silvio  deafly,  and  it 
is  in  his  interest  I  ask  the  question."  Then 
in  a  low  tone,  and  with  a  look  of  keen  scrutiny, 
he  added,  "  Is  he  your  son  ? " 

An  expression  of  deep  mental  agony  con- 
vulsed Leone's  face  as  the  monk  spoke ;  but, 
fierce  and  wild  as  it  was,  it  softened  with 
strange  tenderness  as  he  cried,  — 

"  Love  Silvio  dearly !  Father  Francesco, 
you,  who  have  lived  a  tranquil  life  in  the 
quietude  of  a  cloister,  know  not  the  force  of 
human  passions.  Love  Silvio,  you  say?" 
Then,  with  the  almost  Oriental  exaggeration 
common  to  the  people  of  Southern  Italy,  he 
continued,  "I  would  kiss  the  earth  under  his 
feet.  I  would  worship  him  as  one  does  the 
blessed  Madonna ;  for  his  face  is  the  image  of 
one  whose  memory  is  the  only  link  that  still 
binds  me  to  what  is  noble  and  good."  Here  a 
sudden  look  of  ferocity  drove  the  tenderness 
from  his  face,  his  voice  came  with  a  hiss  through 
his  clinched  teeth,  and,  as  if  absorbed  in  bitter 
memories  and  unconscious  of  Father  Frances- 
co's presence,  he  continued  unsteadily,  — 


68  LEONE. 

"And  yet  —  my  dagger's  point  was  only  an 
inch  from  his  heart  —  there  he  lay, — a  child  in 
his  innocent  sleep.  The  bleeding  body  strug- 
gled beside  him  in  the  agonies  of  death  —  his 
little  hand  wet  with  the  warm  blood  —  He  woke 

—  he  opened  his  eyes  —  oh,  those  angelic  eyes  ! 

—  Silvia's    eyes  —  my    Silvia  !  —  I    could    not 
strike — a  cold  shudder  ran  through  my  veins, 

—  I  who  had  never  known  fear.     I  seized  the 
child  —  fought  my  way  through  the  crowd,  who 
tried  to  oppose  me  —  I  was  free  —  among  my 
own  —  on   my   mountains   where   I    am    king. 
Love  that  child  !     Ah  !  he  is  a  man  now ;   but 
to  me  he  is  still  the  child  whose  lovely  eyes 
saved  me  from  the  remorse  of  shedding  innocent 
blood.     I  have  watched  him  from  year  to  year : 
his  progress  has  been  my  pride.     I  have  cher- 
ished the  hope  that  in  time  he  might  love  me, 
his  savior,  his  benefactor.      Oh,  what  would  I 
not  give  for  his  love  ! " 

During  this  passionate  outburst,  Father  Fran- 
cesco had  sat  awe-struck  at  its  vehemence, 
watching  the  various  emotions  that  chased 
each  other  across  Leone's  excited  face,  and 
moved  by  a  fervor  of  charity  and  compassion, 


LEONE.  69 

which  he  had  never  before  felt  towards  a  man 
whom  he  had  considered  a  hardened  criminal. 
He  rose ;  and,  going  over  to  where  Leone  had 
thrown  himself  upon  his  chair,  he  bent  over 
him,  gently  touched  him,  and  whispered  sooth- 
ingly, "  I  could  assure  you  of  it,  if  you  would 
only  abandon  the  sinful  life  you  are  leading." 

"Abandon  my  life !"  answered  Leone  hastily. 
"  That  is  impossible  now.  But,  ah !  let  him 
never  know  it.  Let  him  never  know  me,  if 
that  knowledge  would  give  him  pain.  I  wish 
him  to  be  happy.  He  must  be  happy.  My 
wealth  is  his,  my  dying  prayer  will  be  for  his 
happiness." 

Father  Francesco  still  stood  beside  him,  gen- 
tly pressing  his  hand,  and  earnestly  repeated 
his  question, — 

"  Is  he  your  son  ? " 

"Ask  me  not.  He  is  dearer  to  me  than  a 
son.  Ah  !  would  he  ever  call  me  father  ?  No, 
no  :  that  can  never  be !  Between  him  and  me 
yawns  an  untimely  grave  —  the  skeleton  hands 
of  a  traitor  hold  us  apart  —  yet  I  love  him,  — 
love  him  as  I  did"  — 

He  had  almost  pronounced  a  name  ;  but  that 


7O  LEONE. 

name  probably  recalled  him  to  himself,  and 
checked  his  returning  excitement.  He  sprang 
up,  and,  staring  wildly  and  somewhat  reproach- 
fully at  the  monk,  exclaimed,  — 

"  What  was  I  saying  ?  Ah  !  Father  Fran- 
cesco, you  have  evoked  the  dead  from  their 
graves.  They  rise  before  me  now,  but  they  will 
not  accuse  me  before  the  judgment-seat  in  the 
Last  Day.  I  have  sinned  before  God  ;  but  that 
child,  my  Silvio,  will  plead  for  me  in  atonement 
for  my  vendetta" 

He  rushed  toward  the  door.  Father  Fran- 
cesco caught  his  hand,  and  tried  to  calm  him ; 
but  he  drew  it  away  hastily,  crying,  — 

"  Ask  me  no  further :  I  am  in  no  mood  for 
speech.  I  will  meet  you  in  your  convent  on  our 
mountains.  Farewell!"  and  he  rushed  away, 
shutting  the  door  violently  after  him. 

Father  Francesco  returned  slowly  to  his 
chair,  greatly  moved,  thinking  to  himself,  "  Mys- 
terious man  !  Strong,  impulsive  nature,  capa- 
ble of  great  virtues,  but  also  of  great  crimes ! 
Why  will  he  not  reveal  his  history  to  me  ?  Is 
Silvio  his  son  ?  But  if  so,  why  not  acknowledge 
it  ?  He  spoke  of  a  vendetta."  At  this  thought 


LEONE.  71 

he  shook  his  head  sorrowfully.  "Oh,  thou  bane 
of  our  country,  how  many  generous  souls  hast 
thou  not  brought  to  crime  and  misery  !  Could 
he  have  murdered  Silvio's  mother  through  jeal- 
ousy? Who  was  the  bleeding  body  lying  beside 
the  child  ?  It  could  not  be  she,  for  he  seemed 
to  feel  no  remorse  for  that  deed.  What  a  mys- 
tery it  is  !  Who  could  suspect  so  much  tender- 
ness in  a  man  who  is  the  terror  of  the  whole 
country  !  What  a  mystery,  what  a  mystery  ! " 
And  he  sat  for  a  long  time  lost  in  thought. 


LEONE. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

DREAMS   AND    FOREBODINGS. 


had  lain  all  night,  half  awake,  half 
••  —  '  asleep,  in  a  tender,  sweet,  blissful  revery. 
Whoever  has  truly  felt  the  ecstasy  of  a  first  love 
can  realize  her  feelings  :  to  those  who  have 
not,  no  description  can  give  the  remotest  con- 
ception of  them  ;  wherefore,  then,  attempt  it  ? 
What  words  can  portray  the  succession  of 
lovely  pictures  that  presented  themselves  to 
her  exalted  imagination  ?  —  Silvio's  face,  a  type 
of  refined,  poetic,  but  manly  beauty,  irradiated 
with  the  halo  of  genius  ;  Silvio's  artistic  works, 
uniting  the  finish  of  the  Renaissance  with  the 
lofty  conceptions  of  the  earlier  masters  ;  Sil- 
vio's earnest,  enthusiastic  love  for  art  and  love 
for  her,  expressed  in  a  thousand  ways.  Her 
inborn  love  of  the  beauties  of  nature,  strength- 
ened and  developed  by  her  artistic  training, 
brought  readily  before  her  mind  a  lovely  wood- 


DREAMS  AND  FOREBODINGS.  73 

land  scene,  —  a  picturesque  villa ;  a  studio, 
with  Silvio  seated  at  an  easel  painting  a  mas- 
terpiece ;  a  Madonna,  with  herself  for  a 
model.  With  what  loving  delight  would  he 
gaze  at  her  features,  and  then  reproduce  them 
upon  the  canvas,  so  that  she  seemed  to  breathe 
there  in  a  new  immortal  life,  given  by  his 
creative  genius !  Then  she  fancied  herself 
painting  the  beautiful  landscape  from  the  studio 
window,  and  he  playfully  snatching  her  brush, 
and  animating  the  scene  with  groups  of  little 
loves  playing  among  the  flowers. 

These  dreamy  fancies  faded  before  the  day- 
light peeping  through  the  window-shutters  ;  but 
the  return  to  life's  realities  did  not  dispel  her 
joy,  for  she  knew  that  Silvio  loved  her,  and 
that  she  returned  his  love,  and  that  there  was 
nothing  to  prevent  the  happy  realization  of 
their  wishes.  He  was  an  eminent  artist,  and, 
as  far  as  appeared,  of  independent  fortune ; 
while  her  father  was  also  wealthy,  and  nothing 
would  please  him  more  than  to  see  her  happily 
married. 

As  these  thoughts  passed  through  her  mind, 
she  rose,  and,  after  opening  her  windows,  went 


74  LEONE. 

—  a  most  unusual  thing  for  her  to  do  — 
straight  to  her  looking-glass.  Her  masses  of 
chestnut  hair  hung  in  loose  waves  on  her  shoul- 
ders, and  her  rosy  face  and  sparkling  eyes  were 
radiant  with  the  happiness  of  an  acknowledged 
love.  It  was  a  lovely  picture  that  offered  itself 
to  her  gaze ;  and  she  studied  it  without  a 
thought  of  vanity,  but  unconsciously  influenced 
by  her  dreamy  fancy  of  the  night,  and  finally 
she  said  half  aloud,  — 

"  Why,  I  should  make  a  very  good  model  for 
a  Madonna."  Then,  blushing  at  herself,  she 
turned  hastily  away,  exclaiming,  "Oh,  how 
silly  I  am ! "  Then  she  began  slowly  to  dress 
herself,  taking  more  than  usual  care,  compar- 
ing and  contrasting  colors,  that  an  artist's  eye 
might  find  nothing  to  criticise. 

As  she  gradually  calmed  from  the  first  tumult 
of  happy  revery  which  lingered  about  her,  her 
New-England  common  sense  warned  her  to 
look  at  the  practical  side  of  the  matter,  and  she 
felt  that  she  ought  not  to  delay  speaking  to  her 
father  on  this  serious  subject.  Thus  resolved, 
she  went  down  to  breakfast,  where  she  found 
Mr.  Norman  already  waiting  for  her,  reading 


DREAMS  AND  FOREBODINGS.  75 

the  paper.  She  ran  up  to  him,  clasping  paper 
and  all  in  such  a  sudden,  fervent  embrace,  that 
he  started,  exclaiming,  — 

"  Good  gracious  !  What's  the  matter  ? " 
Nevertheless  he  took  his  daughter's  head  in 
both  his  hands,  and  kissed  her  repeatedly ; 
then,  holding  her  for  a  moment  at  arm's  length, 
he  said,  "Why,  how  beautiful  you  look  this 
morning!  Your  face  seems  to  glow  all  over 
with  love  for  your  old  papa." 

That  expression  brought  her  entirely  to  her- 
self, and  a  slight  twinge  of  remorse  subdued  the 
fervor  of  her  new  sentiment.  Edith  had  never 
loved  before :  all  her  affection  had  been  con- 
centrated upon  the  father,  who  had  made 
her  his  beloved  companion.  She  had  never 
realized  that  any  new  feeling  might  interfere 
with  this  filial  affection.  Even  on  the  evening 
before,  when  she  confessed  her  love  to  Silvio, 
and  during  the  night,  while  she  was  dreaming 
of  it,  she  had  not  thought  how  it  might  affect 
him.  His  happiness  had  always  been  so  bound 
up  in  hers,  that  it  had  not  even  suggested  itself 
to  her  that  any  thing  could  occur  to  please  her 
which  could  possibly  affect  him  otherwise.  But 


76  LEONE. 

now  her  mind  was  calm ;  and  her  father's  unsus- 
pecting pleasure  in  her  unusual  demonstration 
of  affection  brought  her  a  quick,  vivid  con- 
sciousness of  what  her  intended  announcement 
must  be  to  him.  She  grew  very  sober,  and 
stroked  her  father's  thin  hair,  kissing  him  on 
the  forehead,  and,  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  re- 
plied, — 

"Yes,  with  love  for  you,  dear  papa,  but  yet 
—  not  you  alone;"  and  she  hid  her  glowing 
face  in  his  bosom. 

Mr.  Norman  had  always  treated  Edith  rather 
as  a  dear  comrade  than  a  daughter ;  their  con- 
versation was  bright,  good-humored,  matter-of- 
fact,  often  witty;  they  discussed  the  various 
topics  of  the  day,  often  taking  different  sides 
for  argument's  sake,  though  in  perfect  sympa- 
thy and  harmony.  Their  love,  deep  and  true 
and  tender  as  it  was,  needed  but  little  outward 
manifestation  beyond  the  night  and  morning 
kiss.  They  could  not  have  lived  so  long  in 
such  companionship  without  learning  to  read 
each  other's  feelings  from  the  slightest  expres- 
sions. At  these  words  of  Edith,  which  were  a 
revelation  to  him,  at  her  unwonted  demonstra- 


DREAMS  AND  FOREBODINGS.  77 

tion  of  affection,  and  last  girlish  gesture,  he 
felt  that  she  had  something  serious  and  definite 
to  tell  him.  He  patted  her  head,  and,  after 
recovering  from  the  first  surprise,  said  kindly, — 

"  Edith,  dear,  you  have  something  important 
to  tell  me,  though  I  partly  guess  it.  I  really 
had  never  thought  of  this ;  though,  of  course,  it 
is  only  natural."  He  felt  a  sharp  pang  as  he 
said  this,  but  controlled  it  for  her  sake,  and 
continued  cheerfully,  "Now,  whoever  it  is,  I 
know  that  you  have  chosen  wisely,  and  you  are 
sure  of  my  approval.  Come,  let  us  have  our 
breakfast,  and  then  we  will  talk  it  over  quietly." 

Saying  this,  he  kissed  her  once  more,  and, 
leading  her  to  her  seat,  placed  her  in  it,  and 
then  took  his  own,  while  she  busied  herself 
with  the  mysteries  of  tea-making.  For  a  little 
while  nothing  was  said,  except  with  reference 
to  their  breakfast.  Neither  of  them  seemed 
inclined  to  touch  upon  the  subject  that  filled 
their  thoughts  ;  and,  for  the  first  time  in  their 
lives,  there  arose  between  father  and  daughter 
a  slight  touch  of  embarrassment.  This,  how- 
ever, could  not  last  long ;  for  both  were  largely 
endowed  with  the  self-control,  strong  moral 


78  LEONE. 

sense  and  frankness,  so  characteristic  of  the 
best  American  type.  Mr.  Norman  was  the  first 
to  break  the  ice.  Seeing  that  Edith,  though 
she  drank  her  tea,  was  wholly  unable  to  eat, 
however  bravely  she  tried  to  seem  as  usual,  he 
said  quietly,  — 

"  Edith,  who  is  he  ? " 

The  girl  did  not  blush  nor  hesitate.  Accus- 
tomed from  infancy  to  perfect  openness  with 
her  father,  and  eager  to  justify  his  unselfish 
readiness  to  enter  into  her  feelings,  she  met  his 
eyes  frankly,  and  answered,  — 

"  Signer  Silvio." 

"  Signer  Silvio  !  "  repeated  her  father,  not 
altogether  taken  by  surprise,  "  Signor  Silvio  ! 
It  is  a  good  choice,  and  very  suitable  ;  for  your 
tastes  are  all  in  sympathy.  He  stands  high  in 
his  profession,  and  is  an  excellent  fellow.  I 
think  the  choice  is  a  wise  one ;  but,  before  you 
fully  consent,  let  me  investigate  his  antece- 
dents. Has  he  declared  himself  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes,  papa !  but  not  until  last  night, 
though  I  suspected  it  before."  She  said  it  as 
simply  and  naturally  as  she  might  to  a  sister. 

"  Are  you  engaged,  then  ? " 


DREAMS  AND  FOREBODINGS.  79 

"  Engaged  !  Without  consulting  you  ?  Why, 
no,  indeed,  papa!  How  could  you  think  such 
a  thing?" 

"Then,  what  are  your  relations  ?" 

"  Why,  dear  papa,  I  am  sure  I  do  not  know," 
said  Edith,  slightly  embarrassed.  "There  is 
nothing  settled.  He  merely  revealed  his  love 
to  me  last  night  on  the  Pincio;  and  —  I  —  did 
not  reject  it.  Please,  papa,  do  not  say  any 
thing  more  about  it  just  now." 

"  I  will  not,  dear  child ; "  and  as  they  rose 
from  the  table  he  kissed  her  tenderly.  "  But  I 
must  be  prepared  for  him.  I  suppose  he  will 
follow  the  regular  Italian  custom,  and,  having 
assured  himself  of  your  love,  will  come,  or  send 
to  me,  asking  for  your  hand ;  and  I,  doing  in 
Rome  as  the  Romans  do,  will  grant  or  refuse 
it,  as  I  may  see  fit,  eh  ?  In  this  case,  I  sup- 
pose I  shall  have  to  consent,  as  I  have  really 
no  objection  to  the  match.  Then  will  come 
the  question  of  dowry.  A  girl  cannot  get  mar- 
ried without  that  in  Italy.  What  shall  I  say  ? 
Ten  thousand  dollars,  or  twenty,  or  fifty  ? "  said 
Mr.  Norman,  trying  to  speak  lightly,  and  hide 
his  real  heartache  at  the  coming  change  in  their 
lives. 


80  LEONE. 

"  O  papa,  how  you  run  on  !  I  don't  suppose 
Signer  Silvio  has  thought  of  such  a  thing.  He 
seems  quite  independent  in  regard  to  money 
matters,  for  his  works  would  bring  high  prices 
if  he  cared  to  sell  them ;  but  he  seems  indiffer- 
ent about  it.  I  am  sure  he  does  not  think  any 
thing  about  my  dowry." 

"  That  may.  be,  as  far  as  he  is  concerned.  I 
suppose  love  in  a  cottage  is  all  either  of  you 
think  about  as  yet.  But  his  relatives  will  feel 
differently ;  and  I  certainly  intend  to  make  sure 
of  a  well-furnished  larder  in  that  cottage,  for  I 
do  not  think  you  will  refuse  me  a  room  in  it." 

"  O  papa !  In  the  first  place,  Signor  Silvio 
has  no  relations.  He  is  an  orphan,  and  Father 
Francesco  is  his  guardian." 

"  Father  Francesco  !     Who  is  he  ? " 

"  Why,  that  venerable  old  monk  we  met  once 
in  his  studio." 

"  Oh,  yes !  I  remember.  But  these  monks 
are  sometimes  worse  than  relations.  By  the 
way,  what  is  Signor  Silvio's  family  name? 
This  Italian  fashion  of  calling  every  one  by  the 
first  name  is  rather  awkward.  Here  we  have 
known  Signor  Silvio  and  Signor  Valerio  for  the 


DREAMS  AND  FOREBODINGS.  8 1 

last  three  years,  and  we  don't  know  the   sur- 
name of  either." 

Curiously  enough,  this  had  not  occurred  to 
Edith,  but  she  thought  little  of  it,  saying  care 
lessly, — 

"  Oh,  well !  we  can  ask  Signor  Valerio  when 
he  comes  to  give  me  my  lesson." 

Valerio  came  as  usual,  early  in  the  after- 
noon, and  kissed  Edith's  hand,  as  was  his  habit 
whether  Mr.  Norman  was  present  or  not.  He 
retailed  all  the  artistic  news  of  the  town  in  his 
light-hearted,  talkative  way ;  and  some  little 
time  passed  pleasantly  before  any  attempt  was 
made  to  begin  the  lesson,  to  which  Edith 
seemed  unusually  indifferent.  Mr.  Norman 
took  the  first  good  opportunity  that  offered  to 
say,— 

"How  curious  it  is  that  we  have  been  ac- 
quainted so  long,  and  yet  do  not  know  your 
family  name !  We  have  always  called  you 
Signor  Valerio,  as  is  the  custom  here.  What 
is  your  whole  name  ? " 

"  Valerio  Trapassi ;  though  we  artists  always 
call  each  other  only  by  the  first  name." 

"  Yes ;  but  it  sounds  very  odd  to  us  foreign- 


82  LEONE. 

ers."  Then  he  added,  as  carelessly  as  he  could, 
"And  what  is  Signer  Silvio's  ?" 

Valerio  was  taken  aback  by  this  unexpected 
question,  and  hesitated  ;  but,  suddenly  recover- 
ing himself,  he  stammered  hastily,  — 

"  Silvio  —  Signor  Silvio  ?  Why  —  Romano, 
Silvio  Romano,"  thinking  to  himself,  "That  is 
true  enough.  Silvio  is  a  Roman." 

Mr.  Norman  noticed  Valerie's  hesitation,  and 
thought  it  somewhat  strange ;  but  Edith,  who 
was  occupied  in  arranging  her  colors,  merely 
heard  the  words,  and,  turning  to  him,  said,  — 

"  Silvio  Romano  ?  I  wonder  if  he  is  a  de- 
scendant of  Giulio  Romano." 

"  He  ought  to  be,  Miss  Edith,"  replied  Vale- 
rio. "  He  has  certainly  inherited  his  talent." 

"  What  did  we  read  about  Giulio  Romano  the 
other  evening,  in  Shakespeare,  Edith  ?  "  asked 
Mr.  Norman.  "  You  must  remember :  you 
were  reading  it  aloud." 

"Why,  yes,  papa:  here  it  is."  And,  opening 
the  Shakespeare  which  lay  on  the  table,  she 
found  the  passage,  and  read  it  in  English  :  — 

"  That  rare  Italian  master,  Julio  Romano,  who,  had 
he  himself  eternity,  and  could  put  breath  into  his  work, 


DREAMS  AND  FOREBODINGS.  83 

would  beguile  Nature  of  her  custom,  so  perfectly  he  is 
her  ape."  * 

"What  does  that  mean  ? "  asked  Valeric  with 
curiosity.  Edith  translated  it ;  but,  when  she 
used  the  word  "scimmia"  for  ape,  the  idea 
struck  him  as  very  odd,  though  strong  and 
characteristic,  and  he  laughed,  exclaiming,  — 

"  Fine  idea !  Very  original !  A  great  artist 
is  la  scimmia  delta  Natura  (the  ape  of  Nature). 
Excellent !  I  must  study  English,  and  read 
Shakespeare.  A  man  who  can  define  the 
highest  perfection  of  art  so  concisely  is  more 
than  a  great  poet :  he  is  a  great  genius." 

Edith,  though  busying  herself  about  her  easel 
and  brushes,  seemed  reluctant  to  begin  her 
lesson  ;  and  Mr.  Norman,  noticing  it,  advised 
her  to  omit  it  for  once.  Valerie's  hesitation  in 
telling  Silvio's  name  had  made  a  strong  impres- 
sion on  his  mind ;  and  he  resolved  to  ask  an 
explanation,  but  not  in  Edith's  presence :  so, 
speaking  in  English,  he  said  to  her,  — 

"Edith,  dear,  I  don't  think  you  care  much 
about  your  lesson  to-day.  You  had  better  put 
it  off.  I  will  ask  the  young  man  to  go  with  me 

1  Winter's  Tale,  act  v.  scene  2. 


84  LEONE. 

for  a  walk  ;  and  when  I  come  back  we  will  see 
what  is.  the  next  step  to  be  taken,  —  whether 
the  guardian  will  come  to  see  me,  or  the  ward 
propose  to  you." 

"  If  you  think  best,  papa,"  replied  Edith,  who 
was  glad  to  be  left  alone,  and  thought  it  not 
impossible  that  Silvio  might  call :  so,  turning 
to  Valeric,  she  said,  — 

"  I  think  I  will  not  paint  to-day.  I  am  not 
at  all  in  the  mood  for  it ;  and  you  have  always 
told  me  not  to  work  when  not  in  the  spirit  of 
it." 

"  Certainly  not,  certainly  not.  It  is  useless 
to  attempt  it :  the  result  would  be  utter  failure. 
What  do  you  say  to  a  visit  to  Silvio's  studio  ? 
He  has  just  finished  a  remarkably  beautiful 
Madonna." 

"  A  Madonna !  I  did  not  know  that  he  was 
painting  one.  What  Madonna  is  it  ? " 

"  Oh  !  I  said  Madonna  for  fun,  because  it  is  a 
very  beautiful  face ;  but  it  is  a  fancy  sketch,  or 
a  portrait  from  memory,  of  some  very  lovely 
woman,  for  no  one  sat  for  it." 

"  No  one  sat  for  it  ?  Whom  does  she  look 
like  ? "  asked  Edith  with  interest. 


DREAMS  AND  FOREBODINGS.  8$ 

"Nobody  that  I  know,  but  one  of  the  most 
angelic  faces  I  ever  saw.  You  had  better  come 
with  me,  and  judge  for  yourself."  Then,  turn- 
ing to  Mr.  Norman;  "And  you  too,  Mr.  Nor- 
man. You  will  see  one  of  the  best  creations 
the  Roman  school  has  given  this  year." 

"  Certainly,  I  will  go  with  pleasure,"  assented 
Mr.  Norman,  seizing  the  chance  to  go  with 
Valeric,  knowing  that  Edith  would  surely  re- 
fuse, as  she  did,  saying,  — 

"  Thank  you,  Signer  Valeric,  but  I  do  not 
feel  like  going  out  to-day.  You  had  better  go 
with  papa." 

Valeric,  knowing  them  so  well,  easily  per- 
ceived that  something  was  the  matter,  and  that 
she  really  wished  him  to  go  :  so  he  replied,  — 

"  Very  well.  —  Come,  Mr.  Norman  ; "  and  in 
a  few  minutes  they  had  left  her,  Mr.  Norman 
saying  in  English  as  he  went  out,  "  I  shall  not 
be  long,  dear." 

Edith  sat  a  while  at  her  easel,  vainly  endeav- 
Dring  to  paint ;  but  her  hand  trembled,  her 
colors  would  not  blend,  and  she  finally  aban- 
doned the  effort.  Then  she  wandered  rest- 
lessly about  the  drawing-room,  arranging  the 


86  LEONE. 

flowers,  moving  the  ornaments,  thinking  that  if 
any  one  called  she  would  receive  there,  and 
not  in  her  studio.  Every  moment  she  expected 
to  hear  the  bell,  and  to  see  Silvio  enter ;  but  no 
one  came.  The  afternoon  wore  on ;  and  her 
father,  who  had  promised  to  return  soon,  was 
still  absent.  She  thought  how  embarrassing 
it  would  be  for  her  if  Father  Francesco  should 
call  while  he  was  away.  She  heard  the  ser- 
vants laying  the  table  for  dinner,  and  not  one 
of  the  three  persons  for  whom  she  was  looking 
had  come.  As  evening  approached,  the  rooms 
grew  dark,  and  she  went  out  on  to  the  bal- 
cony with  a  book ;  but,  unable  to  fix  her  mind 
upon  it,  she  sat  watching  the  passers-by,  grow- 
ing more  and  more  anxious  at  her  father's  pro- 
longed absence,  which  could  hardly  mean  any 
thing  good.  What  could  have  detained  him  so 
long  ?  Why  had  not  Silvio  called  ?  Why  had 
he  hesitated  so  strangely  in  declaring  himself 
the  evening  before  ?  Whose  portrait  was  it 
that  he  had  painted,  but  of  which  he  had  never 
spoken  ?  In  the  gathering  gloom  of  the  evening 
hour,  doubts  which  she  had  thought  wholly  set 
at  rest  again  assailed  her,  and  pressed  heavily 


DREAMS  AND  FOREBODINGS.  8/ 

upon  her  heart.  Who  could  this  woman  be  ? 
Valerio  had  said  that  she  was  exquisitely  beau- 
tiful. She  wished  that  she  had  gone  with  them 
to  see  it.  But  how  could  she,  after  what  had 
passed  last  night,  go  to  Silvio's  studio,  at  least 
until  he  had  seen  her  father  ?  Her  mind  was 
tossed  to  and  fro  on  the  waves  of  this  troubled 
sea  of  thought.  Yesterday  she  had  been  as 
happy  and  free  as  a  bird,  with  no  thought  or 
care  but  for  her  art  and  her  father.  How 
twenty-four  hours  had  changed  every  thing, 
and  left  her  anxious,  worried,  suspicious,  and 
despondent !  Were  these  the  first  fruits  of 
love  ?  Harassed  and  fretted  almost  beyond  en- 
durance, she  was  almost  on  the  point  of  burst- 
ing into  tears,  when  she  caught  the  sound  of 
her  father's  familiar  step ;  and  he  soon  hurried 
into  the  room,  exclaiming,  — 

"  Well,  child,  have  you  been  worrying  about 
me  ?  I  could  not  help  it :  I  have  been  detained 
on  your  account,  and  could  not  come  any 
sooner." 

Edith  rushed  to  his  arms,  crying,  — 
"  Dear,  dear  father !  where  have  you  been  so 
long  ?     I  have  been  alone  all  day :  no  one  has 


88  LEONE. 

been  here,  not  even  Silvio."  Mr.  Norman, 
without  answering,  pressed  her  tenderly  to  his 
heart,  and  led  her  into  the  dining-room,  where 
dinner  was  already  waiting.  As  they  came 
into  the  lighted  room,  Edith  caught  sight  of 
her  father's  troubled  face,  which  contrasted 
with  the  assumed  cheerfulness  of  his  voice,  and 
exclaimed,  — 

"  Why,  father,  what  has  happened  ?  You 
look  so  worried :  what  is  it  ?  Tell  me.  Has 
any  thing  happened  to  Silvio  ? " 

"No,  dear  child,  nothing  has  happened.  I 
have  seen  Silvio,  and  the  old  monk,  and  all  of 
them.  And  we  have  settled  matters  as  far  as 
possible :  but  there  is  some  trouble  that  may 
cause  delay  ;  that  is  all.  Don't  worry  about  it ; 
but  let'  us  have  dinner,  for  I  am  awfully  hun- 
gry, and  I  suppose  you  are  too,  it  is  so  late. 
Come,  child,  let  us  sit  down,  and  after  dinner 
I  will  tell  you  all  about  it." 

He  spoke  lightly,  to  quiet  any  serious  sus- 
picions in  Edith's  mind ;  but  she  knew  him  too 
well  to  be  so  easily  deceived.  There  was  a 
restlessness  and  anxiety  under  his  pleasant 
manner ;  and  when  they  went  to  the  table,  not- 


DREAMS  AND  FOREBODINGS,  89 

withstanding  his  professions  of  hunger,  the 
meal  was  a  mere  form  to  either  of  them,  and 
was  quickly  despatched.  Rising,  he  led  her  to 
her  favorite  seat  in  the  studio,  and,  seating  him- 
self beside  her,  detailed  to  her  the  events  of 
the  day. 


LEONE. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

EX   IGNOTIS   PARENTIBUS. 

"\  ~\  7HEN  Mr.  Norman  went  out  with  Valerio 
•  *  that  afternoon,  he  thought  that  a  very 
few  words  would  explain  his  hesitation,  and 
that  he  should  quickly  return.  He  had  lived 
in  Italy  long  enough  to  know  how  little  the 
Italians  could  understand  the  perfect  confidence 
that  might  exist  between  an  American  father 
and  daughter.  He  was  sure  that  Valerio  would 
tell  him  what  he  would  not  tell  Edith,  without 
the  least  suspicion  that  he  would  go  directly 
home  and  confide  it  to  her,  whatever  it  might 
be :  so,  as  soon  as  they  were  in  the  street,  he 
turned  to  Valerio,  saying,  — 

"  Signer  Valerio,  you  have  been  Signer  Sil- 
vio's companion  for  years,  have  you  not  ? " 
"  Yes,  since  we  were  boys  together  at  school." 
"Then   you    must    know   him    pretty   thor- 
oughly." 


EX  I G NOTTS  PARENTIBUS.  9 1 

"As  thoroughly  as  if  he  were  ray  own  brother ; 
and  I  love  him  as  if  he  were." 

"  I  think  he  deserves  it :  he  seems  a  noble 
fellow." 

"  Noble ! "  exclaimed  Valeric  with  enthusi- 
asm, "  he  is  more  than  that :  he  is  one  of  the 
purest  of  men.  And  that  is  the  greatest  praise 
I  can  give  him ;  for  nothing  is  rarer,  especially 
among  artists." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it  of  him,"  returned  Mr. 
Norman  ;  then,  gradually  approaching  the  sub- 
ject which  engrossed  him,  he  added,  "And  his 
name  is  Romano,  Silvio  Romano,  —  a  good 
name.  What  was  his  father  ? " 

Mr.  Norman  asked  the  question  with  assumed 
carelessness ;  but  he  watched  Valerio  closely, 
and  noticed  again  in  his  face  the  same  hesita- 
tion he  had  shown  before.  He  looked  down, 
then  up,  as  if  trying  to  recollect,  then  stam- 
mered, "His  father?  Why  —  I  never  heard 
much  about  him.  In  fact  —  I  only  know  that 
Silvio  lost  both  his  parents  when  he  was  an 
infant,  and  was  left  under  the  guardianship  of 
Father  Francesco." 

Valerio,    naturally  one   of    the    most    open- 


92  LEONE. 

hearted  of  men,  and  incapable  of  concealment, 
said  this  with  such  a  visible  effort  at  indiffer- 
ence, that  a  less  experienced  man  than  Mr. 
Norman  would  have  easily  detected  his  embar- 
rassment. Seeing  that  there  was  more  to  learn 
than  he  had  expected,  he  invited  Valerio  into  a 
cafe,  where  they  could  speak  more  at  their  ease  ; 
and  seated  in  a  retired  corner,  where  they  were 
iii  no  danger  of  interruption,  he  resumed  the 
conversation,  saying  in  a  serious  tone, — 

"  Signer  Valerio,  we  Americans  like  to  speak 
frankly,  and  to  the  point.  I  have  sought  this 
interview  with  you,  because  I  must  ask  some 
questions  which  I  do  not  like  to  put  directly  to 
your  friend  Signer  Silvio ;  but,  first  of  all,  you 
know,  without  doubt,  that  he  is  in  love  with  my 
daughter  Edith." 

This  unexpected  statement  made  Valerio 
somewhat  nervous ;  for  he  felt  guiltily  that  he 
had  encouraged  the  two,  praising  each  to  the 
other,  carrying  messages,  aiding  and  abetting 
good-naturedly  as  much  as  he  could.  So  he 
dreaded,  now  that  Mr.  Norman  had  discovered 
their  love,  and  perhaps  his  assistance,  that  some 
measure  of  the  paternal  wrath  was  about  to  be 


EX  IGNOTIS  PARENTIBUS.  93 

poured  out  upon  his  devoted  head.  He  raised 
his  eyes  with  a  penitent  look,  stammering,  — 

"Mr.  Norman  —  really  —  I  don't  know  —  but 
there  may  be  some  truth  in  what  you  say." 

"Of  course  there  is.  If  Signor  Silvio  has 
not  confided  it  to  you,  I  will.  He  is  in  love 
with  Edith  :  he  told  her  so  last  night.  She  has 
accepted  him ;  and  I,  for  my  part,  have  not  the 
least  objection." 

He  said  this  in  an  open,  frank,  matter-of-fact 
way  that  astounded  Valeric,  who  had  expected 
something  very  different ;  and  in  his  excitable 
Italian  manner,  springing  from  one  extreme  to 
the  other,  he  seized  Mr.  Norman's  hand,  ex- 
claiming, — 

"My  dear  Mr.  Norman,  you  are  the  best 
and  kindest  man  in  the  world,  —  a  paragon  of 
fathers.  Italian  fathers,  who  treat  their  daugh- 
ters' lovers  as  if  they  were  robbers  and  bri- 
gands, should  take  example  by  you.  Thank  you 
for  your  confidence.  I  assure  you  it  is  a  per- 
fect match :  there  never  were  two  people  more 
suited  to  each  other  than  my  friend  Silvio  and 
your  lovely  daughter.  I  am  so  glad  that  you 
approve.  Let  me  hurry  to  the  studio,  and  tell 


94  LEONE. 

my  friend.  I  have  hardly  seen  him  to-day,  and 
when  he  went  out  this  morning  he  seemed  very 
much  depressed.  I  suppose  he  was  uncertain 
how  you  would  feel  about  the  matter ;  and  I 
will  go  at  once,  and  re-assure  him.  Thank  you, 
Mr.  Norman,  for  Silvio's  sake  ;  thank  you." 

He  had  already  risen,  and  would  have  rushed 
off  to  carry  the  happy  news  to  Silvio ;  but  Mr 
Norman  quietly  held  him  by  the  hand,  say- 
ing,— 

"  Please  sit  down,  Signer  Valeric ;  for  I  have 
some  questions  to  ask.  Besides,  I  am  not  at  all 
sure  that  you  would  find  your  friend  at  the 
studio  now :  he  is  probably  somewhere  else," 
he  said  with  a  smile. 

"  Why,  yes !  of  course.  How  stupid  I  am  ! 
Of  course ! "  said  Valerio  with  an  answering 
smile,  as  he  sat  down  again.  Mr.  Norman 
drew  his  chair  closer,  and  said  seriously,  — 

"  Signor  Valerio,  I  noticed,  both  this  morning 
and  again  just  now,  that  you  hesitated  when  I 
asked  you  about  Signor  Silvio's  name  and  par- 
entage. Remember,  that,  after  the  declaration 
which  I  have  made,  I  have  a  right  to  ask  the 
question,  and  you  are  in  honor  bound  to  give 


EX  IGNOTIS  PARENTIBUS.  95 

me  a  true  answer.  Is  Romano  truly  Signor 
Silvio's  surname  ?  And  who  was  his  father  ? " 

Mr.  Norman  looked  straight  into  Valerie's 
face,  who,  somewhat  abashed,  lowered  his  eyes, 
and  with  unfeigned  humility  replied,  "  You  are 
an  honorable  man,  Mr.  Norman  ;  and  your  ques- 
tion now  deserves  an  honest  answer.  I  said 
Romano,  because  Silvio  is  a  Roman  artist ;  but 
I  do  not  know  his  name,  nor  who  was  his  father: 
indeed,  I  believe  that  Silvio  himself  is  ignorant 
of  both.  Father  Francesco  is  the  only  man 
who  can  answer  your  questions,  and  I  advise 
you  to  see  him.  Fortunately  he  is  here  to-day, 
and  I  shall  be  happy  to  lead  you  to  his  con- 
vent." 

Mr.  Norman  felt  a  cold  shudder  run  through 
him  at  this  unexpected  announcement :  his 
practical  mind  measured  at  a  glance  the  diffi- 
culty of  the  situation.  Such  a  disclosure  would 
be  a  terrible  blow  to  Edith's  lofty  moral  stand- 
ard. If  he  had  been,  no  matter  how  poor,  or 
how  lowly  born  ;  but  illegitimate !  He  trem- 
bled as  he  thought  of  her  ;  but,  before  returning 
home,  he  determined  to  sift  the  matter  to  the 
veiy  bottom. 


96  LEONE. 

"  Signer  Valeric,"  he  said,  "your  words  have 
affected  me  very  deeply.  You  say  that  Father 
Francesco  alone  can  tell  me  ?  Then  take  me 
to  him  at  once.  I  must  learn  all  I  can  before 
this  matter  goes  any  farther." 

Valerio  rose  immediately  without  a  word; 
and,  leaving  the  cafe,  Mr.  Norman  was  soon 
knocking  at  the  door  of  Father  Francesco's  cell 
in  the  Capuchin  Convent,  while  Valerio  was 
walking  up  and  down  under  the  beautiful  arches 
of  the  cloister,  with  its  thousand  slender  pillars 
crowned  with  fantastically  carved  capitals,  anx- 
iously awaiting  the  result  of  the  conference. 

Mr.  Norman  had  met  Father  Francesco  only 
once  or  twice  in  Silvio's  studio,  and  had  never 
taken  any  particular  notice  of  him.  Though 
liberal  in  regard  to  religious  questions,  he  had 
a  Protestant's  natural  suspicion  of  Catholics, 
and  especially  of  monks,  considering  their  celi- 
bacy, as  most  Protestants  do,  a  source  of  much 
scandal  and  immorality  :  so,  when  he  learned 
the  deep  interest  that  Father  Francesco  took 
in  Silvio's  welfare,  he  could  not  but  feel  grave 
doubts  as  to  the  relationship  that  existed  be- 
tween them.  When,  therefore,  he  heard  Father 


EX  IGNOTIS  PARENTIBUS.  97 

Francesco's  gentle  "Walk  in,"  in  reply  to  his 
knock,  he  felt,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  a 
nervous  dread  at  the  idea  of  encountering  a 
subtle  and  unscrupulous  adversary.  But,  on 
entering  the  simple  room  of  the  friar,  the  quiet 
of  the  place,  the  benevolent,  venerable  counte- 
nance of  Father  Francesco,  the  refined  dignity 
of  manner  with  which  he  greeted  him  and 
showed  him  to  a  seat,  somewhat  re-assured 
him.  He  had  never  met  a  Catholic  priest  in 
close  conversation  before ;  and  though  a  man 
of  the  world,  and  naturally  frank  and  confident, 
he  felt  strangely  awkward,  especially  as  the 
subject  which  he  came  to  discuss  was  one 
which  required  such  delicate  handling.  But 
Father  Francesco  put  him  at  his  ease  at  once, 
saying,  — 

"  Mr.  Norman,  I  am  exceedingly  sorry  that 
you  should  have  taken  the  trouble  to  call  upon 
me,  for  I  was  just  about  to  go  to  you.  I  think 
I  know  the  object  of  your  visit ;  for  Silvio  was 
here  this  morning,  and  had  a  long  conversation 
with  me,  and  I  was  going  to  you  on  his  behalf." 

This  declaration  somewhat  re-assured  Mr. 
Norman  :  for  he  thought  that  if  Father  Fran- 


98  LEONE. 

cesco,  acting  as  Silvio's  guardian,  was  coming 
to  see  him,  it  must  be,  according  to  the  Italian 
custom,  formally  to  ask  for  Edith's  hand ;  and 
in  that  case,  the  question  of  Silvio's  birth  must 
be  all  clear,  and  his  suspicions  and  anxiety 
uncalled  for.  He  replied  in  a  tone  of  relief,  — 

"  Were  you  ?  I  suppose  to  ask  my  daughter's 
hand  ? " 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say,  no.  On  the  contrary,  to 
apologize  for  his  hasty  avowal  to  your  daughter 
yesterday  evening,  and  to  say  that  at  present 
he  is  not  in  a  position  to  form  such  ties." 

At  this,  Mr.  Norman's  first  suspicions  revived 
with  full  force ;  and  he  asked  in  somewhat  of 
an  authoritative  tone,  "  And  why  not  ? " 

Father  Francesco  raised  his  head  with  the 
dignity  of  a  man  unaccustomed  to  be  so  ad- 
dressed by  any  but  his  religious  superiors ;  but, 
controlling  himself  immediately,  he  replied  in  a 
sad,  almost  humble  tone,  — 

"You,  as  the  young  lady's  father,  have  the 
right  to  ask,  after  what  happened  last  evening. 
I,  as  Silvio's  guardian,  owe  you  a  full  explana- 
tion. Silvio  did  wrong  :  in  his  present  posi- 
tion he  had  no  right  to  avow  his  love ;  but 


EX  IGNOTIS  PARENTIBUS.  99 

youth  is  impetuous.  I  told  him  so  this  morn- 
ing, and  was  coming  to  you  to  explain  that 
there  can  be  nothing  between  him  and  your 
daughter,  at  least  for  the  present,  on  account 
of  our  ignorance  of  his  parentage." 

"  Your  ignorance  ?  Is  he  illegitimate  ?  And 
how  came  you  to  be  his  guardian  ? "  asked  Mr. 
Norman,  surprised. 

"I  have  no  proof  that  he  is  illegitimate," 
replied  Father  Francesco  calmly,  taking  no  no- 
tice of  Mr.  Norman's  implied  doubt.  "  I  can 
only  say  that  so  far  we  do  not  know  who  were 
his  parents.  He  was  intrusted  to  my  care,  when 
he  was  about  two  years  old,  by  a  person  whose 
name  I  am  not  at  liberty  to  disclose,  and  who 
made  ample  provision  for  his  maintenance  and 
education.  Knowing  that  if  left  with  him  the 
child  might  be  brought  up  to  a  bad  or  even 
criminal  life,  with  the  permission  of  my  supe- 
rior, I  accepted  the  charge,  with  the  express 
condition  that  the  man  who  brought  him  to  me 
should  formally  renounce  any  claims  or  rights 
he  might  have  over  him,  which  he  did.  What 
relation  he  was  to  him  this  man  never  revealed. 
Since  then  I  have  been  his  guardian ;  and  you 


IOO  LEONE. 

can  judge  for  yourself  how  faithfully  I  have  dis- 
charged my  duty." 

"As  to  that,  I  must  do  you  the  justice  to 
acknowledge  how  superior  his  education  is  to 
that  of  most  young  artists,  and  how  noble  his 
character,"  replied  Mr.  Norman,  ever  ready  to 
give  credit  where  credit  was  due. 

"Thank  you,  sir,"  replied  Father  Francesco, 
much  pleased  with  this  acknowledgment.  "  I 
claim  no  merit  beyond  performing  as  thoroughly 
as  I  could  a  duty  which  I  voluntarily  assumed." 

"  And  you  know  nothing  more  definite  about 
him,  not  even  his  name  ?" 

"No  :  the  man  would  reveal  nothing.  Silvio 
was  baptized  in  our  parochial  church  as  Silvio 
ex  Ignotis" 

"Ex  what?"  asked  Mr.  Norman,  bewil- 
dered. 

"  Ex  Ignotis  Parentibus  ;  but  generally  they 
are  called  ex  Ignotis  simply." 

"And,  should  such  people  marry,  what  name 
would  their  children  assume?" 

"Ex  Ignotis,  unless  his  Holiness,  by  a  spe- 
cial dispensation,  should  allow  them  to  assume 
their  mother's  name,  or  that  of  some  sponsor, 


EX  IGNOTIS  PARENTIBUS.  IOI 

or  person  who  is  willing  to  adopt  the  child. 
That  is  the  law  in  the  Papal  States." 

"  What  an  infamous  law ! "  exclaimed  Mr. 
Norman  indignantly. 

"  We  are  bound  to  obey  the  laws,  not  discuss 
them.  Our  mother-church  is  severe  in  order 
to  be  kind.  She  thus  protects  the  sanctity  of 
the  holy  sacrament  of  matrimony,  and  shows 
in  what  abhorrence  she  holds  the  sin  of  unholy 
alliances." 

"  How  ?  By  bringing  the  shame  of  them 
upon  the  innocent  children?" 

But  Father  Francesco  calmly  quoted  the  pas- 
sage from  Holy  Writ :  "  I  will  visit  the  sins  of 
the  fathers  upon  the  children  unto  the  third 
and  fourth  generation  of  them  that  hate  me, 
and  show  mercy  unto  thousands  of  them  that 
love  me,  and  keep  my  commandments."  And, 
as  Mr.  Norman  was  about  to  protest  against 
what  he  considered  an  injustice,  he  prevented 
him  by  adding  hastily,  "And  our  Holy  Father 
the  Pope,  who  receives  the  light  of  grace  from 
our  Saviour,  shows  his  mercy  to  those  who  love 
God,  and  keep  his  commandments.  I  have  so 
brought  up  my  ward,  that,  should  I  never  sue- 


102  LEONE. 

ceed  in  discovering  his  parentage,  I  have  little 
doubt  that  his  Holiness,  in  consideration  of 
his  moral  and  professional  worth,  would  allow 
him  to  assume  my  name,  which  I  would  gladly 
bestow  on  him." 

This  proposal  awakened  again  Mr.  Norman's 
first  vague  suspicions  as  to  the  connection  be- 
tween Father  Francesco  and  Silvio ;  but  the 
venerable,  candid  expression,  the  lustre  of  pu- 
rity which  irradiated  the  monk's  face,  made  him 
half  ashamed  of  his  doubts,  and  he  thought  to 
himself,  "  This  man  is  either  a  saint  or  a  most 
consummate  hypocrite.  I  will  hope  for  the 
best,  and  trust  him  until  I  have  clear  evidence 
to  the  contrary."  He  continued  aloud,  "  Father 
Francesco,  your  offer  of  giving  your  own  name 
to  Silvio  might  be  satisfactory  in  Italy,  but 
hardly  to  us  Americans.  I  do  not  say  that 
my  daughter  would  absolutely  refuse  to  unite 
herself  to  a  man  because  his  birth  was  un- 
known. We  have  no  aristocracy  of  birth,  and 
a  man  of  the  very  humblest  honest  origin  can 
aspire  to  the  highest  position  if  he  is  personally 
worthy  of  it ;  but  a  doubtful  origin  would  be  a 
very  strong  barrier  to  a  union." 


EX  IGNOTIS  PARENTIBUS.  103 

"  So  I  thought,  and  I  was  coming  to  you  to 
explain  what  advice  I  gave  Silvio  this  morning. 
I  placed  before  him  the  objections  that  would 
be  raised  to  a  union  with  him.  I  reproved  him 
for  his  impetuosity,  and  advised  that  this  incip- 
ient attachment  be  stopped  at  once,  at  least 
until  something  more  definite  can  be  learned 
about  his  parentage ;  for  I  have  not  given  up 
all  hope  of  its  eventual  discovery,  and  I  hold  a 
clew  which  I  think  may  lead  to  it." 

"  You  hold  a  clew  ? " 

"  Yes,  and  an  important  one." 

"  Then  what  do  you  advise  ? " 

"What  I  advised  Silvio:  to  cultivate  the 
first  moral  precepts  which  we  learn  on  entering 
the  religious  orders, — patience,  resignation, 
and  obedience.  They  are  hard  for  passionate 
youth  to  follow,  but  the  only  ones  to  lead  to 
contentment  and  moral  satisfaction.  Silvio 
has  promised  to  be  guided  by  me,  and  I  know 
he  will  keep  his  word ;  and,  from  what  I  have 
heard  of  your  estimable  daughter,  I  feel  that 
she  also  will  see  the  propriety  of  acting  accord- 
ing to  our  maturer  judgment.  I  propose,  there- 
fore, that  for  the  present  the  matter  should  rest 


104  LEONE. 

where  it  is ;  that  your  daughter  should  regard 
Silvio's  declaration  as  not  having  been  made ; 
that  they  should  remain  simply  friends,  as  they 
were  before.  Meanwhile  I  will  use  my  utmost 
efforts  to  unravel  the  mystery  of  Silvio's  birth  ; 
and  if  successful,  as  I  confidently  hope,  and  it 
be  found  satisfactory,  it  will  be  time  enough 
then  to  arrange  an  alliance." 

Mr.  Norman  listened  attentively  to  the  cool, 
unimpassioned,  business-like  way  with  which 
Father  Francesco  discussed  the  matter.  He 
thought,  "These  monks,  having  renounced  all 
worldly  interests,  learn  to  treat  all  human  affec- 
tions and  passions  as  subordinate  and  of  no 
account  when  brought  into  conflict  with  rea- 
son." But  he  had  a  father's  sympathy,  and 
felt  what  a  terrible  blow  this  would  be  to  Edith, 
whose  love  had  been  kindled,  and  who  was  now 
waiting  at  home,  anxious  indeed,  probably,  at 
his  delay,  but  surely  unsuspicious  of  the  sad 
revelation  he  must  make  to  her.  Still  he  could 
not  but  confess  the  wisdom  of  what  Father 
Francesco  said,  and  accept  it  as  their  only 
course. 

"  It  will  be  a  terrible  shock  to  my  daughter," 


EX  IGNOTIS  PARENTIBUS.  10$ 

he  said,  "  to  learn  all  this ;  but  there  is  no  alter- 
native, and  we  will  follow  your  advice." 

Father  Francesco  rose,  and  taking  Mr.  Nor- 
man by  the  hand,  said  with  deep  feeling,  "  Dear 
Mr.  Norman,  I  have  spoken  as  my  duty  as 
minister  of  the  gospel  and  my  long  experience 
have  dictated ;  but  I  assure  you  I  sympathize 
from  my  heart  with  you  and  your  admirable 
daughter.  I  wish  to  Heaven  Silvio  had  been 
more  prudent,  and  spared  her  this  sorrow. 
But  it  is  done,  and  our  care  must  be  to  allevi- 
ate it  all  we  can.  To-morrow  morning  I  leave 
for  my  priory  at  Sonnino :  Silvio  is  to  join  me 
there  in  company  with  Valeric.  When  there, 
I  will  leave  no  stone  unturned  to  discover  the 
truth ;  for  there  alone  can  this  mystery  be 
unravelled." 

"  At  Sonnino  ?  Why  can't  we  join  you  also  ? 
I  might  be  of  some  assistance.  Do  you  need 
money  ? " 

"  No,  Mr.  Norman  ;  but  your  advice  might  be 
of  service.  I  should  be  very  glad  to  have  you 
there  in  the  Foresteria.1  But  would  it  do  for 

1  A  building  outside  the  cloister,  to  accommodate  ladies,  who  are 
not  admitted  into  the  convent. 


IO6  LEONE. 

the  young  people  to  be  brought  into  daily  con- 
tact ? " 

Mr.  Norman  raised  his  head  with  paternal 
pride,  as  he  answered,  "  Father  Francesco,  you, 
an  Italian,  judging  from  the  limited  education 
here  given  to  women,  naturally  mistrust  their 
powers  of  self-control ;  but  our  girls  are  differ- 
ently brought  up.  The  freedom  of  intercourse 
between  the  sexes  from  their  earliest  youth, 
the  high  moral  tone  implanted  by  their  early 
training,  the  confidence  reposed  in  them,  ren- 
der them  worthy  of  trust.  I  am  sure  of  my 
daughter.  Do  not  fear  for  her." 

Father  Francesco  listened  quietly  to  this 
assertion,  then  said  approvingly,  "  I  am  de- 
lighted to  see  with  what  confidence  you  can 
speak  for  your  daughter :  I  wish  that  I  could 
say  as  much  for  our  Italian  girls,  and,  even 
more,  our  young  men.  But  fortunately,  in  this 
case,  Silvio  is  an  exception,  and  I  can  trust 
him  implicitly.  Come  then,  and  we  will  see  if 
you  cannot  also  be  of  use.  Another  favor  I 
must  ask  of  you,"  he  continued,  stopping  Mr. 
Norman  as  he  was  turning  to  go :  "  Silvio  was 
here  early- this  morning;  and,  poor  fellow,  he 


EX  IGNOTIS  PARENTIBUS.  IO? 

is  in  a  dreadful  state.  He  had  not  slept  all 
night,  and  had  repented  ovef  and  over  again  of 
his  rashness :  he  was  tortured  by  the  thought 
that  he  had  brought  sorrow  to  your  daughter, 
whom  he  loves  devotedly.  I  comforted  him 
somewhat  by  promising  him  to  go  to  you,  ex- 
plain his  position,  and  entreat  your  daughter's 
and  your  pardon.  You  forestalled  me;  and, 
since  we  have  come  to  a  friendly  understand- 
ing, I  think  that  if  you  were  to  go  to  him  and 
tell  him  that  you  have  no  ill  feeling  towards 
him,  but  are  going  to  join  me  in  my  efforts  to 
help  him,  it  will  be  a  real  act  of  charity  on 
your  part,  and  be  a  great  comfort  to  him." 

"Why,  to  be  sure  I  will  !  "  cried  Mr.  Norman, 
his  generous  heart  really  cheered  at  the  thought 
of  helping  another.  "  I  will  go  at  once.  Vale- 
rio  is  below,  waiting  for  me ;  and  he  will  go 
with  me.  Good-by !  Let  us  hope  for  the 
best." 

"  The  Lord's  blessing  be  with  you,"  replied 
Father  Francesco ;  and,  opening  the  door,  he 
courteously  accompanied  his  visitor  through 
the  long  corridors,  to  the  head  of  the  superb 
marble  staircase  that  led  to  the  courtyard  of 


108  LEONE. 

the  cloister.  There  he  waited  until  Mr.  Nor- 
man had  descended.  At  the  last  landing  he 
turned,  lifted  his  hat  to  the  watcher  above,  and 
disappeared  under  the  pointed  arches. 


THE  STOLEN  PORTRAIT.  IOQ 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE   STOLEN   PORTRAIT. 

T  7ALERIO  had  been  waiting  all  this  time, 
*  with  what  patience  he  could  muster,  pa- 
cing up  and  down  the  cloister,  or  the  little  peb- 
bled paths  that  led  to  the  well  in  the  centre  of 
the  court,  thinking  that  the  court  itself  was  not 
much  more  than  a  well ;  the  convent  on  three 
sides  of  it,  and  the  church  on  the  fourth,  hardly 
admitting  a  ray  of  sunshine,  except  at  noon. 
From  pure  idleness  he  lowered  the  mossy  bucket 
from  the  highly  ornamented  iron  framework,  sur- 
mounted by  a  cross,  which  overarched  the  deep, 
clear  water,  and,  drawing  it  up  full,  took  a  long 
drink :  still  Mr.  Norman  did  not  come.  He 
took  out  his  cigar-case,  and,  selecting  a  long 
cigar,  drew  out  the  straw,  lighted  it,  and,  lean- 
ing on  the  well-curb,  began  to  smoke.  But  his 
anxious  thoughts  would  not  let  him  rest :  he 
started  up  again,  and  walked  hastily  about,  ges- 
ticulating, stopping,  walking  on  again. 


1 10  LEONE. 

"Here  is  a  pretty  mess  we  have  got  into,"  his 
thoughts  ran  ;  "and  I  like  a  fool  helped  it  along 
as  much  as  I  could.  Why  did  I  not  keep  on, 
and  try  my  own  luck  with  my  interesting  pupil  ? 
Why  did  I  yield  at  the  first  rebuff,  and  help  Sil- 
vio instead  ?  I  am  so  good-natured,  and  I  do 
love  Silvio  so  dearly.  Had  I  seen  the  slightest 
chance  for  myself,  I  would  have  persisted ;  but 
there  was  not  a  shadow  of  hope  for  me.  Now, 
if  she  had  only  fallen  in  love  with  me,  how  easily 
every  thing  might  have  been  arranged  !  I  may 
be  very  poor ;  but  my  father  is  still  living,  and 
is  in  a  respectable  government  office.  True,  he 
only  earns  five  francs  a  day,  barely  enough  to 
keep  soul  and  body  together ;  but  he  has  a 
name  to  give  me,  and  an  honorable  one,  while 
poor  Silvio  has  none.  What  difference  that 
makes  I  don't  see ;  but  the  world  does,  and 
poor  Silvio,  with  all  his  genius  and  goodness, 
and  money  into  the  bargain,  has  to  blush  before 
this  stupid  world.  Bah !  I  wish  I  was  the 
Pope :  I  would  settle  this  matter  pretty  quick. 
Father  Francesco  must  know  more  than  he  is 
willing  to  tell ;  but  there  is  nothing  to  be  got 
out  of  these  monks  when  they  are  sworn  to 


THE  STOLEN  PORTRAIT.  Ill 

secrecy.  I  should  like  to  know  what  relation 
he  is  to  Silvio.  He  is  wonderfully  fond  of 
him,  that  is  certain.  Ah !  these  monks,  these 
monks ! "  But  at  this  point,  as  if  ashamed  of 
his  own  thoughts,  he  exclaimed,  "  Pshaw !  Some 
monks  are  bad  enough,  but  not  Father  Fran- 
cesco. There  is  a  mystery  in  all  this,  and 
probably  a  sin  somewhere ;  but  I  cannot  impute 
it  to  Father  Francesco.  How  long  Mr.  Nor- 
man is  staying !  I  wonder  if  he  has  got  any 
satisfaction.  And  poor  Silvio,  how  he  must 
feel !  I  am  so  sorry  for  him.  I  would  be  glad 
enough  to  give  him  my  name,  if  I  could.  Why 
should  he  be  blamed  and  discarded  because 
some  wicked  father  or  mother  dropped  him  into 
the  hands  of  Father  Francesco  ?  He  might  be 
thankful  that  he  was  not  dropped  into  some 
foundling  hospital.  Who  knows  but  he  may 
be  an  offshoot  of  some  great  family  ?  He  has 
never  wanted  for  money.  The  banker  has 
always  cashed  his  drafts  without  asking  any 
questions.  Who  the  deuce  furnishes  this  money  ? 
If  some  great  personage,  why  not  give  him  his 
mother's  name  ?  A  bar-sinister  is  no  bar 
to  social  position  nowadays,  if  only  managed 


112  LEONE. 

rightly.  Uff!  It  is  a  bad  mess  anyway.  I 
only  wish  she  had  fallen  in  love  with  me 
instead.  How  smooth  and  easy  every  thing 
would  have  been !  But  I  was  born  under  an 
unlucky  star ;  and  only  models  look  at  me  with 
any  sort  of  interest,  though  I  never  employ 
them.  Pretty  thing,  if  I  were  to  marry  a 
model !  I  should  have  to  give  up  landscapes, 
and  take  to  figure-painting.  Bah ! "  This 
thought  so  disgusted  him  that  he  tossed  away 
the  stump  of  his  cigar,  saying,  "  How  bitter 
that  tobacco  tastes  !  Papal  monopoly !  That 
is  the  history  of  it.  Cabbage-leaves  flavored 
with  snuff  and  licorice  !  Bah  !  " 

He  went  to  the  well  again,  and  rinsed  his 
mouth,  as  if  to  rinse  away  the  very  thought. 
Just  at    this   moment    Mr.   Norman    made  his 
appearance  with  a  somewhat  more  satisfied  look 
on  his  face  than  when  he  left  him.     Valerio 
rushed  up  to  him,  and  anxiously  inquired,  — 
"  Well,  is  every  thing  explained  ? " 
"  Not  quite,  but  we  are  on  the  way." 
Then,  taking  Valerie's  arm,  Mr.  Norman  told 
him  the  result  of  his  interview,  while  they  went 
to    Silvio's    studio.     When  -he    mentioned    the 


THE  STOLEN  PORTRAIT.  113 

plan  of  the  excursion  to  Spnnino,  and  their 
stay  at  the  convent,  where  Father  Francesco 
had  hopes  of  discovering  the  secret  of  Silvio's 
parentage,  Valerio  exclaimed,  "  Sonnino,  that 
nest  of  brigands  !  " 

"  Brigands  ?  Are  there  brigands  there  ? " 
"It  is  the  very  worst  place  in  the  Roman 
Campania.  However,  if  we  go  as  guests  of 
Father  Francesco,  there  is  no  danger ;  for  they 
never  disturb  or  interfere  with  the  religious 
orders.  Moreover,  we  shall  be  two  artists  and 
two  foreigners  :  from  the  first  they  know  they 
could  get  nothing ;  and  foreigners  they  seldom 
care  to  attack,  for  it  would  bring  the  Papal 
police  upon  them  at  once,  to  satisfy  the  foreign 
governments.  So  we  are  perfectly  safe  in  that 
respect.  But  I  do  not  see  how  he  expects  to 
find  out  about  Silvio  among  those  mountains. 
However,  it  is  a  picturesque  country,  and 
Miss  Edith  and  I  can  fill  our  portfolios  with 
sketches." 

He  was  not  quite  sure  in  his  own  mind  about 
the  propriety  of  the  two  lovers  going  together  ; 
but  he  thought  to  himself  the  Americans  were 
very  queer  people,  very  unconventional,  and,  at 


114  LEONE. 

any  rate,  it  was  not  his  business  to  inter- 
fere. 

When  they  reached  the  studio,  Valerio,  with- 
out knocking,  opened  the  door,  and  admitted 
Mr.  Norman.  The  moment  he  entered  the 
room,  his  eyes  fell  upon  the  lovely  face  of  the 
portrait  on  the  easel,  before  which  Silvio  was 
seated  in  an  attitude  of  utter  despondency. 
Roused  by  the  opening  of  the  door,  he  turned ; 
but,  perceiving  Mr.  Norman,  a  deadly  pallor 
overspread  his  face,  and  he  seemed  wholly 
unable  to  move.  Mr.  Norman,  understanding 
his  agitation,  and  sympathizing  in  his  distress, 
hastened  towards  him  with  arms  extended  and 
a  friendly  smile,  and,  taking  him  by  both  hands, 
said,  — 

"My  dear  Signer  Silvio,  do  not  take  it  so 
hard.  Cheer  up,  cheer  up  !  I  know  all.  Edith 
and  Father  Francesco  have  told  me  every  thing. 
I  have  come,  not  to  find  fault  with  you,  but  to 
cheer  you  up.  Father  Francesco  and  I  have 
been  talking  it  over,  and  we  will  try  all  we  can 
to  get  to  the  bottom  of  this  mystery ;  and  then 
all  will  be  right.  For  the  present,  both  you 
and  Edith  must  be  as  if  nothing  had  taken 


THE  STOLEN  PORTRAIT.  11$ 

place,  but  be  merely  friends,  as  before.  I  can 
trust  you :  still  more,  I  can  trust  her.  When 
every  thing  is  cleared  up,  we  may  resume  nego- 
tiations. Let  us  forget  what  is  past,  or  rather 
defer  it  to  a  more  convenient  season:  This 
evening  you  will  both  of  you  come  to  see  us, 
and  we  will  arrange  about  our  excursion  to 
Sonnino.  Now  let  me  examine  this  picture  of 
yours,  which  strikes  me  as  of  superior  merit." 

Silvio,  at  this  outspoken,  sympathetic  address, 
remained  as  if  petrified.  He  could  hardly  speak : 
in  fact,  Mr.  Norman  had  said  all  there  was  to  be 
said ;  and  he  could  only,  warmly  returning  his 
friendly  grasp  of  the  hand,  say  in  a  trembling 
voice,  "Just  as  you  please.  You  are  so  good  — 
so  very  good  to  me.  God  bless  you  !  God  bless 
you ! " 

"  Come,  come,  no  more  of  this.  Let  us  see 
the  picture,"  cried  Mr.  Norman  bruskly,  to  hide 
his  own  emotion.  Valeric  had  busied  himself, 
meanwhile,  with  the  blinds  and  shutters,  to 
throw  the  best  light  on  the  canvas,  thinking  to 
himself,  "Extraordinary  people,  these  Ameri- 
cani !  How  coolly  he  takes  this  matter !  An 
Italian  father  would  have  raised  such  a  rumpus 


Il6  LEONE. 

by  this  time  as  to  have  called  for  the  interfer- 
ence of  the  police." 

Mr.  Norman  was  enthusiastic  in  his  praise  of 
Silvio's  work,  and  noticed,  as  the  others  had, 
its  strong  resemblance  to  the  young  painter. 
Silvio  had  been  so  touched  by  Mr.  Norman's 
kindness  and  delicacy  in  regard  to  the  distress- 
ing subject  of  his  birth,  that  he  felt  it  his  duty, 
in  return,  to  reveal  to  him  all  that  he  knew 
about  himself,  and  which,  until  now,  he  had 
kept  a  secret,  even  from  his  dearest  friend 
Valeric. 

"Mr.  Norman,"  he  said,  "it  is  not  a  fancy 
sketch,  but  my  mother's  portrait,  copied  from 
this  locket,  which  has  always  hung  round  my 
neck."  So  saying,  he  took  it  off,  and  handed 
it  to  Mr.  Norman. 

"  Then,  you  do  know  who  your  mother  was  ? " 
he  asked  anxiously,  opening  the  locket,  and 
comparing  it  with  the  face  on  the  easel,  while 
Valerio,  amazed,  looked  at  it  over  his  shoulder, 
murmuring  half  reproachfully  to  Silvio,  "  Ah ! 
You  did  keep  one  secret  from  me  ! " 

"  I  never  knew  her,  or  heard  any  thing  about 
her:  only  this  locket  was  fastened  round  my 


THE  STOLEN  PORTRAIT.  1 1/ 

neck,  when,  as  an  infant,!  was  placed  in  Father 
Francesco's  care ;  and,  from  my  strong  resem- 
blance to  it,  both  he  and  I  feel  that  she  must 
have  been  my  poor  mother."  Then,  turning  to 
Valerio,  he  added,  "  Forgive  me.  There  are 
some  secrets  we  keep  even  from  our  dearest 
friends,  when  the  knowledge  of  them  could 
only  give  pain." 

Mr.  Norman  examined  the  locket  carefully. 
It  was  a  small  miniature,  but  painted  by  a  mas- 
ter's hand,  surrounded  by  a  circle  of  tiny  dia- 
monds set  in  gold.  In  the  centre  of  the  outer 
case  was  engraved  a  small  ducal  coronet,  but 
neither  inscription,  monogram,  or  crest  that 
could  give  the  slightest  clew  for  identification. 
The  head  was  of  the  purest  Grecian  type,  and 
might  have  represented  Helen  of  Troy,  with 
the  perfectly  shaped  head,  straight  forehead, 
delicately  chiselled  nose,  arched  eyebrows,  and 
rosy  lips,  a  double  Cupid's  bow ;  while  Love's 
own  finger  had  dimpled  the  short,  round  chin. 
Who  does  not  know  the  pretty  story,  that 
Cupid,  when  he  had  modelled  his  first  beauty, 
put  his  forefinger  on  her  chin,  to  admire  his 
work,  and  the  clay,  being  soft,  retained  the 


1 1 8  LEONE. 

impress  in  the  form  of  a  dimple  ?  Her  light 
chestnut  hair,  drawn  back  into  the  classic  knot, 
fell  thence  in  a  volume  of  ringlets  upon  her 
neck ;  but  her  eyes  were  especially  remarkable 
in  an  Italian,  for  they  were  of  a  dark,  clear 
blue,  like  the  Mediterranean  on  its  brightest  days. 
Mr.  Norman  and  Valerio  stood  gazing  in  ad- 
miration, first  at  the  miniature,  then  at  the 
picture  on  the  easel.  But  it  was  growing  dark. 
Mr.  Norman  remembered  what  anxiety  Edith 
must  be  suffering  alone  at  home  all  this  time : 
so,  giving  back  the  locket,  he  exclaimed,  "  Why, 
it  is  getting  late.  Signor  Silvio,  I  consider 
this  an  important  clew  to  our  hoped-for  discov- 
ery ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  it  was  to  this 
that  Father  Francesco  alluded  when  he  spoke 
of  having  one.  Your  copy  is  a  splendid  work. 
It  is  easy  to  see  that  you  worked  at  it  with  all 
your  heart  and  soul."  Then  taking  Silvio's 
hand,  and  pointing  to  the  portrait,  he  added 
earnestly,  "  The  son  of  such  a  mother  can  never 
be  ashamed  of  his  birth."  Then  in  a  lighter 
tone,  "  Good-by !  Come  to  us  this  evening,  and 
we  will  arrange  our  plans  for  the  excursion  to 
Sonnino.  Arivederci!" 


THE  STOLEN  PORTRAIT.  I 1 9 

He  hastened  home,  where  Edith  was  so  anx- 
iously expecting  him,  and  narrated  to  her  the 
events  of  the  day.  When  he  spoke  of  the  por- 
trait, and  stated  it  to  be  that  of  Silvio's  mother, 
she  inwardly  reproached  herself  for  having  for 
a  moment  doubted  Silvio's  sincerity  or  truth : 
but  this  discovery  revived  her  hopes,  for  through 
the  mother's  portrait  there  was  almost  a  cer- 
tainty of  learning  his  parentage,  or,  at  least, 
her  name,  which  he  might  obtain  the  right  to 
assume ;  and  assuredly,  she  must  have  been  of 
gentle  blood.  This  thought  restored  her  natu- 
ral cheerfulness ;  and,  when  the  two  young 
artists  called  in  the  evening,  she  and  her  father 
received  them  with  the  old  ease  and  cordiality, 
very  much  to  their  surprise :  for  Silvio  was 
timid,  nervous,  and  almost  overcome  by  the 
emotions  and  sufferings  of  the  past  twenty-four 
hours ;  and  Valeric,  excited  by  the  events  of 
the  day,  and  quite  unable  to  understand  such 
self-control,  thought  again  to  himself,  "These 
Americani  are  a  complete  puzzle  to  me.  How 
easily  they  take  every  thing !  I  wonder  if  they 
have  milk  instead  of  blood  in  their  veins !  I 
thought  there  would  be  a  regular  scene,  —  she 


1 20  LEONE. 

falling  into  Silvio's  arms  with  floods  of  tears, 
bewailing  their  hard  fate,  and  wanting  to  go 
into  a  convent ;  Silvio  tearing  his  hair,  cursing 
the  world  and  everybody  in  it ;  the  father  stern- 
ly separating  the  lovers,  reproaching  him  for 
breaking  his  promise,  her  for  bringing  disgrace 
upon  his  gray  hairs  by  a  mesalliance  with  an  — 
ex  Ignotis ;  I  myself  coming  in  for  a  broken 
head,  for  my  good-natured  share  in  the  transac- 
tion, as  a  kind  of  go-between.  Instead  of  that, 
there  they  sit  in  the  balcony,  —  she  talking  to 
Silvio  as  calmly  and  cheerfully  as  if  nothing 
had  happened ;  and  the  old  gentleman  and  I 
smoking  two  excellent  cigars,  and  arranging  all 
our  plans  for  this  excursion  to  Sonnino.  Won- 
derful people,  these  Americani,  wonderful !  " 

The  two  friends  left  the  house  later  than 
usual,  after  they  had  arranged  every  thing  for 
their  trip,  which  they  proposed  to  take  a  fort- 
night hence,  and  walked  home.  Reaching  the 
studio,  through  which  they  had  to  pass  to  go  to 
their  sleeping-rooms,  they  found,  to  their  sur- 
prise, that  the  door  was  ajar,  and  the  lock 
broken.  They  rushed  in ;  and,  hastily  striking 
a  match,  Valeric  lighted  the  row  of  gaslights 


THE  STOLEN  PORTRAIT.  121 

in  the  centre  of  the  room.  The  reflectors 
threw  the  light  down  sharply  upon  Silvio's 
easel  —  empty.  The  portrait  was  gone. 

"  Oh,  my  poor  mother  !  "  was  his  involuntary 
exclamation.  "Who  could  want  to  steal  my 
picture  ?  What  could  they  do  with  it  ? " 

Valeric,  less  immediately  affected  by  the  loss, 
carefully  examined  the  room,  and  found  that 
nothing  else  had  been  taken.  As  his  eyes  re- 
turned to  the  empty  easel,  he  perceived  some- 
thing hanging  from  one  of  the  pegs.  He  cried, 
"What  is  this?"  and,  to  their  intense  astonish- 
ment, they  found  it  to  be  a  bag  full  of  gold 
napoleons.  The  sight  of  the  gold  changed 
Valerio's  alarm  and  surprise  to  hilarity.  He 
exclaimed,  "What,  in  the  name  of  Beelzebub, 
does  this  mean  ?  Is  it  a  fairy-tale,  or  magic  ? 
A  picture  changed  into  gold  !  and  a  great  deal 
of  gold  too ! "  letting  a  number  of  pieces  run 
through  his  fingers.  "At  any  rate,  you  cannot 
call  this  a  robbery,  but  merely  a  forced  sale." 

But  Silvio  took  no  notice  of  Valerio's  merri- 
ment :  the  feeling  that  some  hidden  power 
watched,  and  to  a  certain  degree  controlled,  him 
and  his  actions,  oppressed  him  with  a  sense  of 


122  LEONE. 

mystery ;  and  he  was  conscious,  too,  that  that 
mystery  included  what  he  so  ardently  desired 
to  know.  He  hardly  glanced  at  the  gold,  but 
said  sadly,  as  if  speaking  to  himself,  "  Who 
would  want  my  poor  mother's  picture?  Who 
can  have  any  interest  in  her  ?  Who  is  this 
mysterious  being,  whose  presence  I  feel,  but 
whom  I  cannot  detect  ?  I  cannot  even  have 
the  satisfaction  of  hating  him,  for  he  is  always 
beneficent  and  generous.  Oh !  whoever  you 
are,  why  do  you  not  reveal  yourself  to  me?" 
Glancing  upwards  as  he  spoke,  his  eyes  fell 
accidentally  upon  the  St.  Jerome,  which  hung 
high  up  on  the  wall.  The  gaslight,  shaded  by 
the  reflectors,  did  not  fall  directly  upon  the 
picture,  so  that  only  the  flesh  tints  stood  out 
from  the  semi-obscurity, — the  bare,  emaciated 
chest,  the  sinewy  arm,  the  hand  grasping  a 
stone  with  which  to  beat  his  breast,  the  won- 
derfully expressive  face  bronzed  by  exposure, 
and  lined  and  seamed  by  his  austerities,  and 
which,  with  upraised  eyes,  seemed  imploring 
forgiveness  for  his  sins  from  the  rudely-carved 
crucifix  above.  That  face,  however,  was  the 
face  of  the  supposed  model,  Leone. 


THE  STOLEN  PORTRAIT.  12$ 

Valerio  had  followed  the  direction  of  Silvio's 
gaze,  and  was  also  struck  by  the  peculiar  effect 
of  the  light  upon  the  picture,  and  its  powerful 
treatment.  "Your  St.  Jerome  is  stepping  out 
of  his  canvas,  to  answer  your  appeal.  See  how 
repentant  he  looks.  And  to  think  that  it  is 
only  the  head  of  that  beggar  Antonio,  who  can 
sit  with  as  good  a  grace  for  a  cut-throat  as  for 
a  saint !  The  power  of  genius  !  For,  after  all, 
the  model  only  furnishes  the  clay :  it  is  the 
artist  who  puts  the  soul  into  it,  creating  at  will, 
out  of  the  same  head,  a  saint  or  a  sinner. 
Come,  cheer  up,  man.  What  is  the  loss  of  one 
picture  (if  loss  it  can  be  called,  when  you  get 
such  pay  for  it),"  jingling  the  gold  in  the  bag, 
which  he  still  held,  "when  you  can  duplicate 
it  in  a  week  ?  That  country  chap  you  told  me 
about,  who  took  such  a  fancy  to  it,  may  have 
devised  this  means  of  getting  it  for  his  church. 
I  must  say,  it  will  make  a  splendid  Madonna. 
We  may  come  across  it  on  some  holy  altar,  re- 
ceiving the  adoration  of  the  faithful,  and  per- 
forming miracles.  Why  not  ?  Worse  pictures 
than  that  are  worshipped  in  our  churches. 
Come,  let  us  go  to  bed,  and  dream  of  the  moun- 


124  LEONE. 

tains  and  fields  we  are  going  to  visit.  At  least, 
I  will ;  for  I  suppose  your  head  is  too  full  of 
Madonnas  and  saints.  This  mysterious  disap- 
pearance will  lend  a  little  more  romance  to  our 
trip ;  and,  at  any  rate,  here  you  are  supplied 
with  plenty  of  cash  for  it,  and  fairly  earned. 
Cheer  up :  it  is  not  every  artist  that  can  com- 
mand such  a  price  for  a  single  figure."  And 
he  thrust  the  bag  into  Silvio's  coat-pocket,  and 
gently  pushed  him  towards  his  room,  repeating, 
"Good-night,  good-night,  happy  dreams!"  As 
the  door  closed  behind  his  friend,  he  turned  out 
the  gas,  and  retired  to  his  own  room. 

Left  alone,  Silvio  was  so  pre-occupied,  that 
he  almost  mechanically  prepared  to  retire.  He 
threw  the  gold  carelessly  into  a  drawer,  while 
his  mind  was  absorbed  recalling  the  various 
events  and  emotions  of  the  last  twenty-four 
hours,  —  his  love,  his  hopes,  his  despair,  the 
mystery  that  hung  over  him.  It  was  long  be- 
fore he  could  get  to  sleep ;  but,  when  he  did,  he 
slept  heavily.  The  morning  light  roused  him 
into  a  half-dreaming  state :  faint  images,  grow- 
ing more  and  more  definite,  passed  through 
his  mind, — people  whom  he  had  not  seen  for 


THE  STOLEN  PORTRAIT.  12$ 

years,  schoolmates  and  college  companions,  an- 
gelic faces  and  hideous  hags,  —  a  kaleidoscopic 
change  of  confused  human  outlines,  resolving 
themselves  finally  into  two  dearly  beloved  faces, 
his  mother's  and  Edith's ;  but,  just  as  he  was 
soothed  and  tranquillized  by  this  angelic  vision, 
a  fierce  but  ascetic  face  supplanted  them.  It 
was  the  face  of  the  St.  Jerome,  but  with  the 
fierceness  of  Leone  as  the  brigand;  and  he 
sprang  up  with  a  start,  broad  awake. 


126  LEONE. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE   BRIGANDS. 

A  FEW  miles  from  the  Alpine  village  of 
•*•*•  Sonnino  rises  a  rocky  cliff,  inaccessible, 
except  by  the  winding  goat-herd  paths,  which 
form  an  almost  labyrinthine  approach  to  its 
summit,  or  rather  to  a  ledge  surrounded  by 
irregular  masses  of  basalt,  looking  from  a  dis- 
tance like  the  ruined  towers  of  some  mediaeval 
castle,  and  for  that  reason  called  by  the  peas- 
ants the  "  Castellaccio,"  from  behind  which 
a  few  resolute  men  could  defend  themselves 
against  an  army. 

Some  three  or  four  weeks  after  the  events 
which  we  have  just  narrated,  a  party  of  men 
and  a  few  women  were  scattered  in  groups, 
early  one  morning,  on  this  ledge,  variously  occu- 
pied. Some  of  the  women  were  spinning  wool 
from  their  distaffs ;  others,  coming  out  of  the 
recesses  of  a  deep  grotto,  brought  clothes,  which 


THE  BRIGANDS. 

they  hung  to  dry :  the  men  were  playing  at 
cards  or  dice,  with  piles  of  gold  or  silver  coins 
before  them.  The  first  sight  of  them  would 
have  told  even  an  inexperienced  person  that 
they  were  outlaws,  or,  as  they  are  usually  styled 
in  Southern  Italy,  brigands  ;  not  that  they  were 
dressed  in  the  traditional  stage-costume  of  the 
Italian  brigands,  with  their  conical  hats  and 
flaunting  ribbons  and  feathers,  their  silver-but- 
toned velvet  jackets  and  red  sashes,  the  delight 
and  admiration  of  the  gallery  urchins  at  a  per- 
formance of  Fra  Diavolo :  on  the  contrary,  these 
men  were  dressed  in  the  usual  every-day  cos- 
tume of  the  Roman  contadini,  very  much  the 
worse  for  wear ;  and  the  same  might  be  said  of 
the  women,  though  their  dress  is  very  pictur- 
esque in  itself :  only  now  and  then,  from  under 
their  jackets  or  in  their  sashes,  would  peep 
out  the  butt-end  of  a  pistol,  or  the  handle 
of  a  stiletto ;  and  their  savage,  sunburnt  faces, 
their  restless  black  eyes,  the  quick,  nervous 
movements  of  their  athletic  forms,  ready  at  an 
instant's  notice  to  leap  to  the  carabines  that 
leaned  about  against  the  rocks,  the  suspicious, 
watchful  air  pervading  all  their  actions,  denoted 


128  LEONE. 

people   accustomed   to    sudden    surprises,   and 
fearing  at  any  moment  a  hostile  attack. 

One  alone  of  the  men  was  not  gambling, 
but  walked  up  and  down  smoking  a  pipe,  and 
soliloquizing  moodily,  "  I  don't  understand 
what  our  captain  is  up  to.  In  Rome,  instead 
of  a  good  capture,  he  merely  got  us  to  bring 
away  a  daub  of  a  picture  not  worth  a  sou,  and 
to  leave  an  enormous  sum  for  it.  Had  we  re- 
mained a  day  or  two  longer,  I  should  have  been 
tempted  to  break  into  the  studio  again,  and 
steal  it  on  my  own  hook.  Why  not  ?  My 
orders  having  been  faithfully  obeyed,  and  the 
money  left  there,  it  would  have  been  the  paint- 
er's business  to  take  good  care  of  it.  If  he  let 
it  be  stolen,  so  much  the  worse  for  him.  But 
I  always  have  bad  luck  :  he  would  start  the  very 
next  morning,  and  I  had  no  time  to  work  out 
my  plan.  Two  thousand  francs  would  have 
been  just  the  thing  for  a  week's  revel  in  Rome ; 
and  here  we  have  been  back  again  for  three 
weeks,  and  nothing  has  been  done  :  and  money 
is  getting  very  short ;  at  least,  mine  is.  What 
with  gambling,  and  women,  and  one  thing  and 
another,  I  am  reduced  to  my  last  franc,  and 


THE  BRIGANDS.  12<) 

no  prospect  of  more.  T[  wonder  why  he  has 
gone  to  that  old  monk  without  taking  me  with 
him  as  usual !  What  can  he  have  to  do  with 
him  ?  There  have  been  several  chances  to  stop 
travellers  with  plenty  of  booty,  but  he  has  let 
them  slip  by :  he  will  attack  only  government 
property.  For  my  part,  I  see  no  difference  be- 
tween public  and  private  money.  We  should 
take  advantage  of  every  opportunity.  Oh !  if 
only  Pietraccio  was  our  chief,  I  should  have  my 
own  way ;  for  I  can  twist  him  round  my  finger. 
He  is  very  much  attached  to  our  chief :  I  must 
set  to  work  to  make  him  distrust  him." 

This  man  was  Maso  ;  but  no  one  would  have 
recognized  him  for  the  countrified  fellow  who 
had  tried  to  buy  Silvio's  picture.  He  was  now 
dressed  as  a  peasant ;  and  three  weeks  had  cov- 
ered again  the  lower  part  of  his  face  with  a 
thick  black  beard,  which  left  only  the  most 
brutal  part  of  it  visible,  while  the  cynical  ex- 
pression of  his  large  mouth  and  white  teeth, 
contrasting  with  the  black  bristles,  gave  him 
the  look  of  a  hyena  or  wildcat. 

He  was  interrupted  in  his  meditations  by 
Pietraccio,  who  had  just  won  a  game  and  pock- 
eted the  money,  saying,  — 


1 30  LEONE, 

"  Halloo,  Maso  !  What  is  the  matter  with 
you  ?  What  are  you  thinking  about  ?  Come, 
have  a  game  with  us." 

The  speaker,  who  was  the  second  in  com- 
mand of  the  band,  was  the  very  opposite  of  the 
wily,  sneering,  subtle  Maso.  There  was  noth- 
ing striking  about  his  appearance ;  and  if  met 
working  in  the  fields,  or  leading  a  herd  of  cattle, 
he  would  have  looked  no  different  from  the 
average  contadino  of  the  Campania,  but  for  his 
bold,  bull-dog  expression.  He  spoke  little,  and 
was  utterly  incapable  of  planning  or  devising 
any  scheme ;  but  in  executing  he  could  be  re- 
lied upon  for  bravery  and  daring.  To  his  invi- 
tation, Maso  replied,  — 

"  Game  ?      I  have  no  money  to  play  with." 

"What  have  you  done  with  your  money?" 
asked  Pietraccio,  rising,  and  joining  him  in  his 
walk. 

"  Spent  it,  gambled  it,  lost  it.  I  have  always 
such  bad  luck  at  cards." 

"  I  will  lend  you  some." 

"No!  Devil  take  it!  I  think  it  would  be 
much  better  to  try  and  get  some,  instead  of 
losing  it  at  cards." 


THE  BRIGANDS.  131 

"  So  I  think ;  but  there  is  nothing  in  pros- 
pect just  at  present." 

"No,  nothing,"  assented  Maso.  Then  in  a 
lower  tone,  so  that  the  others  might  not  hear, 
he  continued,  "And,  if  we  keep  on  at  this  rate, 
we  shall  soon  be  reduced  to  eat  roots.  We 
have  not  undertaken  a  single  capture  for  a 
month.  That  last  scoundrel  who  refused  our 
annual  tax  on  his  estate,  and  would  have  be- 
trayed us  to  the  Papal  gens-d'armes,  he  let  off 
with  the  miserly  ransom  of  fifty  thousand 
francs,  while  he  could  easily  have  squeezed  two 
hundred  thousand  out  of  him  ;  and  I,  for  my 
part,  would  have  sliced  off  both  his  ears  into 
the  bargain,  as  a  hint  to  him  to  keep  his  tongue 
between  his  teeth,  if  he  didn't  want  to  lose  that 
also.  Bah !  I  don't  see  what  our  captain  is  about." 

"  He  might  not  have  had  any  thing  feasible 
on  hand,"  expostulated  Pietraccio. 

"And  he  never  will,  if,  instead  of  attending 
to  business,  he  keeps  going  to  the  village  to 
meet  that  prior,  Father  Francesco.  I  wonder 
if  the  old  monk  is  trying  to  convert  him." 

"  Convert  him  ?  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  asked 
Pietraccio  in  great  surprise. 


132  LEONE, 

"  Induce  him  to  desert  and  betray  us.  Such 
things  have  happened  before  now,"  replied  Maso 
with  a  sly,  insinuating  sneer. 

"  Indeed  !  "  exclaimed  Pietraccio,  somewhat 
indignant  at  the  suspicions  hinted  against  his 
chief. 

"  Yes,  indeed !  Have  you  never  heard  of 
the  chief  Tagliarico,  who,  after  leading  a  com- 
pany for  twenty  years,  and  accumulating  a  large 
fortune,  came  to  terms  with  the  Neapolitan 
Government,  betrayed  all  his  followers  (who 
were  either  executed  or  sent  to  the  galleys), 
and  retired  with  his  booty  and  a  pension  from 
the  government,  to  enjoy  life  in  the  island  of 
Ischia  ? " ' 

"That  may  be  .true,  but  I  don't  believe  our 
captain  capable  of  such  treachery.  I  have  not 
followed  him  for  fifteen  years  for  nothing.  You 
wrong  him,  Maso."  Pietraccio  said  this  with 
fierce  resentment,  growling  like  a  bull-dog  in 
defence  of  his  master. 

"  I  don't  say  he  would  do  such  a  piece  of 
treachery :  I  think  him  a  man  of  honor,"  Maso 
hastened  to  say,  to  soothe  the  rising  temper  of 

1  Historical. 


THE  BRIGANDS.  133 

Pietraccio  ;  but  still  he~  added  slyly,  "  You  can- 
not deny,  however,  that  he  has  deposited  large 
sums  of  money  with  a  Roman  banking-house ; 
for  he  neither  gambles,  drinks,  nor  spends  his 
money,  as  liberally  as  we  do." 

"Well,  I  don't  see  that  he  is  to  be  blamed 
because  he  is  more  prudent  than  any  of 
us." 

At  this  point  their  conversation  was  inter- 
rupted by  a  noisy  dispute  in  one  of  the  groups 
of  men  playing  at  dice.  A  short,  thick-set 
young  fellow,  black  as  a  Moor,  his  eyes  rolling 
with  murderous  passion,  launching  most  oppro- 
brious epithets  mingled  with  oaths  at  one  of 
his  companions,  was  attempting  to  strike  him 
with  a  long,  pointed,  double-edged  knife,  but 
was  with  difficulty  held  back  by  two  or  three  of 
the  others ;  while  his  opponent,  a  calm,  reso- 
lute man,  answering  back  insult  for  insult,  and 
oath  for  oath,  held  a  similar  knife  ready  for  the 
attack.  Pietraccio  and  Maso,  hastily  drawing 
from  their  side-pockets  similar  knives,  and  open- 
ing them  as  quick  as  lightning,  rushed  between 
the  contestants,  crying,  — 

"  Hold  on !  hold  on !    Down  with  your  knives, 


134  LEONE. 

or  we  will  cut  you  into  mince-meat !  What  is 
the  row  ? " 

"  He  is  a  thief  and  a  liar !  "  shouted  the  short 
man.  "  He  cheated  me :  I  bet  on  the  odds, 
and  the  dice  counted  nine." 

"  He  is  the  liar !  "  retorted  the  other.  "  They 
were  ten,  and  here  are  the  witnesses,"  appeal- 
ing to  the  men  beside  him. 

"  Here  are  other  witnesses  then,  you ! " 

strengthening  his  assertion  by  a  storm  of  bad 
words,  and  turning  to  the  men  who  stood 
around  him.  "  Was  it  nine,  or  ten  ?  "  But  no 
one  on  either  side  pretended  to  have  noticed 
the  throw,  and  only  held  on  to  each  combatant, 
that  they  might  not  come  to  blows  while  in 
the  heat  of  the  quarrel ;  so  that  the  two  con- 
tinued to  hurl  defiance  and  oaths,  and  struggled 
to  get  free  to  rush  upon  each  other.  The  women 
had  quitted  their  occupations  at  the  beginning 
of  the  quarrel,  and  stood  on  some  rocks  near, 
watching  with  interest,  though  calmly,  as  if 
used  to  such  scenes. 

Pietraccio,  finally,  when  they  had  exhausted 
their  vocabulary  of  invective,  cried,  "  Enough ! 
What  was  the  stake?" 


THE  BRIGANDS.  135 

"Four  scudi." 

"  Who  has  got  the  money  ? " 

"I  have,"  said  the  tall  man.  "I  won  it 
fairly." 

"  Hand  it  to  me,"  said  Pietraccio  authorita- 
tively, holding  out  his  left  hand,  but  grasping 
his  still  opened  knife  in  his  right. 

"  But  I  "  —  began  the  man,  protesting  against 
the  surrender  of  the  stakes.  But  Pietraccio, 
whose  left  hand  was  extended,  with  a  sudden 
movement  seized  the  fellow  by  the  throat  with 
a  grip  that  almost  strangled  him,  and,  brandish- 
ing his  knife  over  his  head,  exclaimed  with  a 
terrible  oath,  "Am  I  the  second  in  command 
here,  or  not  ?  I'll  cut  your  throat,  if  you  don't 
obey  me  instantly  !  " 

It  is  a  curious  fact,  that  men  who  have  cut 
loose  from  society  and  law,  and  returned,  so 
to  speak,  to  the  original  savage  state,  independ- 
ent of  all  restraint,  the  moment  they  band 
together,  even  as  robbers  and  assassins,  insti- 
tute rules  and  laws  among  themselves  far  more 
despotic  and  absolute  than  those  against  which 
they  have  rebelled,  and  obey  them  with  the 
utmost  readiness  and  fidelity.  These  men  were 


136  LEONE. 

all  armed,  and  were  hardened  criminals,  —  proba- 
bly there  was  not  one  among  them  who  had  not 
committed  murder, — and  yet  not  one  of  them 
dared  to  resist  the  high-handed  proceedings  of 
Pietraccio,  not  even  the  one  attacked,  who  let 
his  open  knife  drop  to  the  ground,  and,  taking 
the  four  scudi  from  his  pocket,  handed  them 
humbly  to  Pietraccio,  saying  in  a  gruff  voice, 
"  There  is  no  need  to  choke  me.  Here  is  the 
money." 

Pietraccio  let  go  his  hold,  took  the  money, 
and  put  it  in  his  pocket,  then,  stooping,  picked 
up  the  knife  that  the  man  had  dropped,  and 
handed  it  to  him,  saying,  "  Learn,  next  time 
that  I  give  an  order,  to  obey  me  instantly. 
Here,  take  your  knife,  and  fight  it  out  like  a 
man." 

"  Yes,  that  is  right,  that  is  right !  Let  them 
fight  it  out  like  men ! "  cried  the  bystanders, 
and  at  once  formed  a  ring  round  the  combat- 
ants. The  women  became  more  interested,  and 
mounted  higher  rocks,  in  order  to  have  a  good 
view  of  the  duel,  very  much  as  their  ances- 
tresses would  have  done  at  a  gladiatorial  fight 
in  the  Colosseum. 


THE  BRIGANDS.  137 

The  two  men  took  eff  their  jackets,  and 
wrapped  them  over  their  left  arms,  using  them 
as  the  old  Roman  legionaries  did  a  shield,  and, 
with  their  long  knives  in  their  right  hands, 
stood  on  guard,  awaiting  the  signal. 

These  knife-fights,  among  these  people,  are 
real  duels,  with  stringent  rules  and  regula- 
tions. They  are  attended  by  two  seconds,  each 
with  a  similar  knife,  ready  to  interfere  if  any 
of  these  rules  are  violated.  The  knives  them- 
selves are  peculiar,  the  blade,  about  ten  inches 
long,  being  double-edged  from  the  middle  to 
the  very  -  sharp  point :  the  upper  half  has  a 
thick  back,  though  the  edge  is  still  sharp.  It 
is  very  wide  in  the  middle,  narrowing  to  the 
base,  where  it  is  fastened  into  a  curved  horn 
handle,  with  a  strong  spring,  which,  when 
drawn  back,  allows  it  to  fold  up  like  a  jack- 
knife.  It  is  generally  worn  at  the  side,  in  a 
pocket  made  especially  for  that  purpose.  When 
open,  it  is  grasped  by  the  middle  of  the  handle, 
and  is  as  formidable  as  the  ancient  short 
sword  of  the  Romans,  fit  only  for  very  close 
combat.  It  is  characteristic  of  these  people, 
that,  though  armed  to  the  teeth  with  stilettos, 


138  LEOArE. 

revolvers,  and  carbines,  or  short  guns,  they  con- 
sider it  a  mark  of  cowardice  to  use  any  weapon, 
in  their  personal  fights,  but  this  traditional 
knife. 

As  the  two  men  took  their  positions  facing 
each  other,  about  three  feet  apart,  Pietraccio 
took  his  place,  knife  in  hand,  near  the  smaller 
man,  ordering  Maso  to  stand  by  the  other, 
saying,  "Beware!  There  shall  be  no  home 
thrusts."  This  meant  that  they  would  not  be 
allowed  to  strike  at  the  neck  or  stomach,  but 
only  at  the  chest  or  arms  ;  for,  though  they 
resorted  to  these  fights  to  settle  their  quarrels 
and  exercise  their  courage,  they  were  very 
loath  to  lose  lives,  as  each  death  was  a  loss  to 
the  band  not  easily  replaced. 

At  a  signal  from  Pietraccio,  the  two  men 
stood  a  while  motionless,  watching  each  other, 
their  left  arms  raised  high  in  front  of  their 
faces,  so  that  barely  the  eyes  and  nose  were 
visible,  the  heavy,  cumbrous  jackets  falling 
loosely  before  their  breasts.  The  weight  of 
the  body  was  thrown  upon  the  left  foot,  which 
was  firmly  planted  a  little  in  advance,  the  right 
being  poised  so  as  to  spring  forward,  or  back, 


THE  BRIGANDS.  139 

or  round,  as  needed.  They  were  both  remark- 
ably expert  in  this  sort  of  combat,  their  eyes 
steadily  holding  each  other  like  two  snakes, 
watching  the  opportunity  to  strike. 

By  degrees  they  began  to  move  in  a  semicir- 
cle, slowly  and  warily  at  first ;  then,  quick  as 
lightning,  and  simultaneously,  they  sprang  for- 
ward, aiming  a  powerful  blow  at  the  left  breast 
of  their  opponent,  but  they  both  parried  it  with 
their  shielded  left  arms,  and  returned  to  their 
first  guard.  Their  companions  stood  watching 
their  movements  with  eager  interest,  not  say- 
ing a  word,  but  manifesting  their  approval  with 
their  expressive  black  eyes,  as  if  merely  wit- 
nessing an  exhibition  of  fencing :  the  women, 
crowding  upon  a  large,  high  rock,  showed  in- 
tense excitement  and  animation  by  look  and 
gesture. 

The  men  were  not  exactly  matched :  for  the 
tall  one  was  calm  and  concentrated ;  while  the 
short  fellow,  who  had  begun  the  trouble  by 
accusing  the  other  of  cheating,  was  quick 
and  excitable.  After  some  time  spent  in  this 
watching,  with  occasional  assaults,  this  latter 
began  a  course  of  rapid  attacks,  which  his  an- 


I4O  LEOATE. 

tagonist  calmly  and  effectually  parried  without 
striking  back,  as  the  younger  wished,  to  bring 
him  to  close  quarters.  Irritated  at  this,  he 
struck  more  furiously,  and,  in  his  excitement, 
aimed  a  blow  at  the  other's  neck.  This,  less 
carefully  guarded  against,  might  have  taken 
effect,  had  not  Pietraccio,  with  a  quick  move- 
ment of  his  knife,  diverted  the  blow,  crying, 
"  No  home  thrusts  !  No  home  thrusts  !  "  while 
Maso  interfered  also,  to  prevent  his  principal 
from  striking  his  antagonist  before  he  could 
recover  himself,  saying,  "  Halt,  halt !  Have 
a  rest  now  :  you  are  getting  too  excited." 

"  It  was  not  fair  to  strike  at  my  neck,"  said 
the  tall  man. 

"I  did  not  mean  to,"  said  the  other  apolo- 
getically. 

"  You  get  too  excited,  and  do  not  know  what 
you  are  about,"  said  Pietraccio,  then  added,  in 
a  tone  of  authority,  "  You  must  keep  cool,  and 
follow  the  rules.  I  shall  not  let  you  off  so  easy 
next  time." 

"  Come,  let  us  have  it  over,"  said  Maso  cyni- 
cally ;  for  he  did  not  care  who  was  hurt  or 
killed,  so  that  it  was  done  with,  for  he  was 
tired  of  it. 


THE  BRIGANDS.  14! 

The  men  resumed  their  places,  went  through 
the  same  evolutions ;  the  young  fellow  got  ex- 
cited again,  and  aimed  blow  after  blow,  which 
the  other  easily  parried,  and,  watching  his 
chance,  took  a  sudden  step  forward,  and,  be,nd- 
ing  to  the  right,  struck  his  adversary  in  the 
fleshy  part  of  the  arm,  just  below  the  shoulder. 
At  sight  of  the  blood,  the  two  seconds  cried, 
"  Halt !  "  and  the  fight  terminated.  Pietraccio 
stepped  between  them,  saying,  "That  is 
enough  :  you  have  behaved  like  men ; "  and, 
taking  the  four  scudi  out  of  his  pocket,  he  con- 
tinued, "  Here :  there  was  a  dispute  in  the 
game ;  and  we  don't  know  who  was  right  and 
who  was  wrong,  so  we  will  call  it  a  drawn 
game.  Here  are  your  two  scudi.  — And  here 
are  yours.  Let  us  hear  no  more  of  it."  He 
handed  them  the  money,  and  bade  the  women 
attend  to  the  wound.  They  found  it  a  deep 
flesh  wound,  which,  expert  as  they  seemed  to 
be  in  attending  to  such  casualties,  they  held 
together  to  arrest  the  flow  of  blood,  and 
brought  from  the  cave  lint,  salve,  and  plasters, 
and  in  a  very  short  time  had  dressed  and  ban- 
daged it  as  well  as  any  surgeon  could  have  done. 


142  LEONE. 

This  done,  Pietraccio  ordered  the  combatants 
to  give  each  other  the  kiss  of  peace.  The 
fight  and  the  blood-letting  had  exhausted  their 
strength,  and  apparently  their  animosity  as 
well ;  for  they  both  got  up  readily,  and,  with- 
out shaking  hands  (a  custom  entirely  unknown 
among  those  people),  embraced,  and  kissed 
each  other  on  each  cheek,  while  the  rest  stood 
by  approving,  and  giving  due  praise  for  the 
skill  and  courage  displayed  in  the  encounter. 

A  little  while  after,  when  the  several  groups 
had  settled  down  again  to  their  games  or  occu- 
pations, a  shrill,  peculiar  whistle  was  heard,  a 
warning  of  some  approaching  danger,  at  sound 
of  which  every  man  started  to  his  feet,  and 
seized  his  gun.  A  shepherd-boy  shortly  after 
appeared,  and  reported  to  Pietraccio  that  a 
party  of  four  travellers,  three  men  and  one 
woman,  were  climbing  the  mountain  in  that 
direction,  and  he  thought  it  best  to  come  and 
warn  them. 

"Three  men  and  a  woman!  There  may  be 
a  chance  for  a  good  haul,"  suggested  Maso. 

"But  our  chief  has  forbidden  us  to  make  a 
capture  without  his  orders,"  said  Pietraccio. 


THE  BRIGANDS.  143 

"  Yes,  if  we  organized  and  planned  it ;  but  if 
these  people  come  here,  and  put  themselves 
into  our  very  hands,  we  ought  not  to  lose  the 
chance  of  a  good  round  sum,  which  we  might 
get  from  them.  Besides,  who  knows  but  they 
may  be  spies  to  discover  our  hiding-place?" 

Maso  let  slip  the  word  "spies,"  knowing  well 
the  powerful  effect  it  had  on  such  outlaws. 
"Spies!"  cried  Pietraccio  fiercely.  "Spies!" 
cried  the  others,  their  hands  instinctively  grasp- 
ing their  stilettos ;  and  all  seemed  ready  to 
rush  pell-mell,  and  tear  the  suspected  spies  to 
pieces.  But  the  boy  assured  them  that  they 
were  painters ;  for  he  had  seen  them  stop  half 
way  up  to  sketch,  and  he  had  waited  until  they 
had  started  again  in  that  direction. 

"  At  any  rate,  let  us  go  and  see  what  they 
are,  and  whether  they  are  worth  capturing," 
said  Pietraccio ;  and  with  a  wave  of  the  hand 
he  ordered  the  women  and  the  wounded  man 
to  go  into  the  grotto  and  shut  the  door,  and 
he  with  the  others,  by  twos  and  threes,  wind- 
ing among  the  crags  of  the  mountain  by 
intricate  pathways  fit  only  for  goats  or  moun- 
taineers shod  with  sheepskins,  silently  and  cau- 
tiously came  down  from  the  summit. 


144  LEONE. 

It  was  a  door  of  very  remarkable  construc- 
tion which  the  women  closed  after  them  as 
they  entered  the  grotto.  It  consisted  of  a 
rough,  massive  stone,  set  on  a  strong  iron 
frame,  revolving  on  powerful  hinges,  and  pro- 
jecting irregularly  on  the  outside,  so  that,  when 
shut,  it  matched  so  closely  and  naturally  the 
rocky  ledge  in  which  it  was  fitted,  that  it 
showed  no  trace  of  its  existence,  even  the 
grass  and  moss  growing  in  its  crevices  as  in 
the  solid  rock. 


AN  ITALIAN  SUNRISE.  145 


CHAPTER  X. 

AN   ITALIAN   SUNRISE. 

A  TR.  NORMAN  and  his  party  had  now 
«^-*-  been  several  days  at  Sonnino,  occupying 
themselves  in  sketching  views  of  the  Cam- 
pania, and  making  occasional  excursions  to  old 
ruins  or  sanctuaries  in  the  neighborhood. 
They  were  lodged  in  the  Foresteria  of  the  Cap- 
uchin Convent  ;  that  is,  Mr.  Norman,  Edith, 
and  Valeric  :  for  Father  Francesco  had  desired 
Silvio  to  occupy  his  usual  room  in  the  convent. 
The  Foresteria  was  a  small  building  outside  the 
monastery,  such  as  is  found  attached  to  every 
country  convent  in  Italy,  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  ladies  and  their  parties.  Their  meals 
were  furnished  from  the  convent  kitchen,  and 
were  superior  to  those  of  the  average  hotels ; 
Father  Francesco,  or  some  other  of  the  fathers, 
joining  them  at  their  noon  meal,  and  staying 
with  them  through  the  afternoon. 


146  LEONE. 

A  few  days  after  their  arrival,  Father  Fran- 
cesco asked  Mr.  Norman  to  a  private  interview 
in  his  cell,  while  the  young  people  were  off 
sketching. 

"Dear  Mr.  Norman,"  said  he,  as  soon  as  he 
had  carefully  shut  the  door,  "  I  have  good  news 
to  give  you,  though  not  all  I  could  wish.  Still, 
it  is  enough  for  us  to  act  upon.  I  know  the 
name  of  Silvio's  mother :  but  I  had  to  give  my 
sacred  word  of  honor  that  I  would  never,  either 
directly  or  indirectly,  seek  to  find  out  any  thing 
more  in  regard  either  to  her  or  her  history ; 
and  this  promise  I  must  also  exact  from  you 
before  I  reveal  it." 

"  Certainly !  I  will  give  you  my  word  of 
honor ;  but  I  do  not  see  what  help  the  knowl- 
edge is  to  us." 

"  I  will  explain.  First  of  all,  accepting  your 
promise  to  seek  no  further  to  discover  her  his- 
tory, I  will  tell  you  that  her  name  was  Silvia 
di  Montalba,  of  a  noble  family  in  the  Abruzzi, 
who  died  in  giving  birth  to  our  Silvio.  This 
knowledge  is  all-important  to  us,  first,  because 
it  proves  that  Silvio  is  of  gentle  birth,"  -  —  Father 
Francesco  laid  much  stress  upon  this  fact, 


AN  ITALIAN  SUNRISE. 

/ 

unaware  that  to  an  American  it  was  of  no 
importance  whatever,  whether  Silvio  was  the 
son  of  a  noble  lady  or  a  peasant-girl,  compared 
to  the  doubt  of  his  legitimacy,  which  all  this 
secrecy  seemed  to  imply ;  but  a  European, 
even  a  Catholic  priest,  thinks  differently,  and 
seems  to  consider  that  blue  blood  has  privileges 
over  any  other ;  "  secondly,  on  the  strength 
of  that  knowledge,  I  can  ask  for  a  Papal  dispen- 
sation for  Silvio  to  assume  his  mother's  name, 
and  thus  remove  the  stigma  of  illegitimacy 
that  now  attaches  to  him.  I  have  influence  in 
the  Papal  court,  and  am  sure  of  obtaining  it ; 
in  which  case  I  see  no  reason  why  Miss  Edith 
should  not  marry  him." 

Mr.  Norman  considered  for  a  while,  but 
finally  replied,  "  I  see  no  objection  myself,  but  I 
cannot  decide  without  consulting  my  daughter." 

"  Consult  your  daughter !  "  exclaimed  Father 
Francesco,  surprised,  as  an  Italian  naturally 
would  be,  that  a  father  should  consult  his 
daughter  about  such  a  subject.  "Can  she  be 
trusted  with  the  secret  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  do  not  be  afraid,"  replied  Mr.  Nor- 
man, smiling.  "  Our  daughters  are  differently 


148  LEONE. 

brought  up  from  Italian  girls,  and  you  can  trust 
her  as  fully  as  myself." 

"  In  that  case,  we  might  as  well  have  a  sort 
of  family  consultation,  with  Silvio,  and  even 
Valeric." 

They  repaired  to  the  Foresteria ;  and,  when 
the  young  people  returned,  they  talked  the 
matter  over,  and  settled  it  satisfactorily,  that, 
as  soon  as  the  Papal  dispensation  was  obtained, 
the  engagement  of  Silvio  di  Montalba  to  Edith 
Norman  should  be  made  public,  and  the  mar- 
riage take  place  soon  after.  Father  Francesco 
remained  to  supper  with  them,  and  five  happier 
people  it  would  have  been  hard  to  find  in  all 
Italy. 

When  the  convent  bell  rang  the  Ave  Maria, 
calling  the  monks  to  evening  prayer,  the  good 
father,  as  he  rose  to  go,  took  the  young  people 
by  the  hands,  saying,  "  God  bless  you  !  This  is 
the  happiest  day  of  my  life ;  for  I  have  lived  to 
see  my  beloved  ward  Silvio  affianced  to  such  a 
good  and  loving  bride.  God  bless  you  both  !  " 

Silvio  and  Edith  soon  followed,  leaving  Mr. 
Norman  and  Valeric  to  their  cigars.  They  did 
not,  however,  enter  the  church,  but  went  round 


AN  ITALIAN  SUNRISE.  149 

to  an  esplanade  behind  it,  shaded  by  very  old 
trees,  overlooking  a  picturesque  precipice  on 
the  slope  of  the  mountain,  and  the  distant  plains 
of  the  Campania.  They  sat  there  for  a  time 
absorbed  in  sweet  thoughts.  The  sun  had  set ; 
and  the  short  Italian  twilight  was  fast  merging 
into  darkness,  each  feature  of  the  vast  pano- 
rama stretched  out  before  them  gradually  be- 
coming indistinct.  The  church  bell  sounded 
the  last  stroke  of  the  evening  Ave  Maria,  its 
echo  faintly  dying  among  the  distant  ledges  of 
the  mountain.  Silvio,  sensitive  to  the  impres- 
sions of  the  hour,  repeated  softly,  in  the  origi- 
nal Italian,  those  beautiful  verses  of  Dante 
which  suggested  to  Gray  the  first  line  of  his 
plaintive  Elegy :  — 

"  'Twas  now  the  hour  that  brings  to  men  at  sea, 

Who  in  the  morn  have  bid  sweet  friends  farewell, 

Fond  thoughts  and  longing  back  with  them  to  be, 
And  thrills  the  pilgrim  with  a  tender  spell 

Of  love,  if  haply  now  upon  his  way 

He  faintly  hear  a  chime  from  some  far  bell, 

That  seems  to  mourn  the  dying  of  the  day.". 

The  sadness  of  his  tone  troubled  Edith.     She 
looked   tenderly  into   his   soft   blue  eyes,  and 


150  LEONE, 

said,  "You  still  seem  sad.  What  makes  you 
so  ?  Can  I  do  any  thing  more  to  make  you 
happy  ?  " 

Silvio  raised  his  head  with  a  quick  movement, 
as  if  to  shake  off  his  melancholy  thoughts,  re- 
plying, "  More !  What  more  could  you  do  for 
me,  sweet  Madonna  ?  Your  generous  consent 
to  be  mine,  even  under  present  conditions,  is  a 
proof  of  love  such  as  only  the  angels  in  heaven 
can  appreciate.  I  am  almost  bewildered  by  it. 
I  fear  that  it  cannot  be  true,  that  I  am  still 
dreaming,  that  it  is  an  illusion  of  my  excited 
imagination."  Then  taking  her  hand,  as  if  to 
assure  himself  that  it  was  real,  he  continued, 
"You  do  love  me,  then,  the  outcast,  the  un- 
known ?  And  will  be  mine  in  spite  of  all  ?  — 
you,  so  lovely,  so  gifted  ?  The  adoration  of  a 
lifetime  cannot  repay  your  generosity.  Make 
me  more  happy !  Not  unless  you  wish  to  kill 
me ;  for  joy  can  kill,  as  well  as  grief.  I  am 
happy  now,  too  happy,  maybe ;  for  I  feel  a 
vague  presentiment  of  impending  evil.  Such 
exquisite  happiness  cannot  last.  Oh !  why  is 
real  happiness  so  akin  to  sorrow  ?  Can  you 
realize  that  I  feel  now  as  if  death  itself  would 


AN  ITALIAN  SUNRISE.  1 5  I 

be  welcome  ?  for,  having  experienced  such  su- 
preme bliss,  the  loss  of  it  would  be  more  dread- 
ful than  death.  Oh,  I  love  you  too  much,  too 
much ! " 

Edith  listened  calmly  to  this  wild  Italian 
outpouring  of  love,  which,  though  true  in  its 
intensity,  was  extravagant  in  its  expression, 
and  replied  quietly, — 

"You  cannot  love  me  too  much,  Silvio,  and 
certainly  not  more  than  I  do  you ;  only  we  do 
not  say  all  we  feel,  while  you  Italians  some- 
times say  more.  I  do  not  mean  you,  dear  Sil- 
vio. I  do  not  think  for  a  moment  you  do  not 
mean  what  you  say;  but  you  remember  the 
Italian  song,  '  Quest1  e  delirio,  non  t  ratnore ' 
('This  is  delirium,  it  is  not  love').  I  had  rather 
you  should  love  me  than  rave  about  me.  And, 
as  to  my  generosity,  what  is  it  ?  That  I  am 
willing  to  marry  you  without  knowing  who 
your  father  was.  What  is  that  to  me?  You 
have  a  name,  and  a  good  one,  and  that  is 
enough.  Do  you  suppose  that  when  we  are 
married,  and  visit  America,  my  friends  will  ask 
who  your  ancestors  were  ?  We  care  nothing 
about  that :  it  is  the  man  himself  who  nvust  be 


152  LEONE. 

worthy  of  honor ;  and  Silvio  di  Montalba,  by  his 
eminent  qualities  both  as  artist  and  man,  would 
make  any  woman  proud  to  be  called  his  wife." 

There  could  be  no  better  example  of  the  con- 
trast in  the  nature  of  these  two  lovers  than  the 
above  conversation,  —  Silvio  full  of  Italian  fire 
and  poetry  ;  Edith,  of  self-control  and  reason. 
Silvio  watched  her  with  admiration :  he  read 
in  her  eyes  the  real  depth  of  her  love,  though 
her  words  might  sound  cold. 

"You  are  more  than  angel!"  he  exclaimed. 
"You  are  one  of  the  cherubim,  the  celestial 
powers  who  preside  over  the  human  intellect." 

She  laughed  a  little,  not  displeased,  for  all 
her  American  calmness.  "  I  suppose  you  can- 
not help  talking  poetry :  it  is  in  your  nature. 
Otherwise  you  would  not  be  the  artist  you  are. 
Come,  let  us  talk  of  something  else.  Let  me 
look  at  your  mother's  miniature." 

"It  is  too  dark,  I  am  afraid." 

"  Oh,  no  !     It  is  light  enough  for  me  to  see  it." 

Silvio  unclasped  it  from  its  chain,  and  gave 
it  to  her,  saying,  "  I  grieve  to  think  where  my 
portrait  of  her  can  be.  Who  could  have  stolen 
it,  or,  rather,  taken  it  ? " 


AN  ITALIAN  SUNRISE.  153 

"  Some  admirer  of  your  talent,  Silvio.  Who 
else  would  have  left  such  a  good  price  for  it  ? 
But  why  do  you  care  so  much  ?  Here  you  have 
the  original,  and  can  easily  copy  it  again.  How 
beautiful  she  must  have  been  !  " 

"  Still  it  does  worry  me.  Who  could  wish 
for  my  mother's  portrait  enough,  even,  to  take 
it  by  force  ?  There  seems  to  me  something 
mysterious  about  it." 

"  My  dear  Silvio,  your  mind  has  been  so  ex- 
ercised of  late,  that  you  are  getting  morbid, 
and  see  mysteries  and  snares  everywhere.  My 
love  must  try  and  cure  you,  and  help  you  drive 
these  dark  fancies  away.  Come,  we  had  better 
go  into  the  house ;  for  to-morrow  we  must  be 
up  at  dawn,  to  see  the  sunrise  from  the  Castel- 
laccio,  and  sketch  it." 

"  Yes  :  drive  them  away.  That  is  what  Fa- 
ther Francesco  used  to  say  to  me,  but  without 
effect.  You  have  more  power  than  he ;  for  the 
thought  of  you  and  your  love  dispels  all  gloomy 
fancies  like  mist  before  the  rising  sun." 


154  LEONE. 

Long  before  daylight  the  next  morning  our 
party  of  four  were  roused  by  a  half-grown  boy, 
who,  leaving  his  four  saddled  donkeys  in  the 
courtyard  of  the  Foresteria,  went  up  the  stone 
staircase,  and  knocked,  saying  that  it  was  time 
to  start.  They  rose  quickly,  took  a  hasty  cup 
of  coffee,  and,  with  their  saddle-bags  filled  with 
materials  for  a  substantial  lunch,  and  their 
painting  apparatus,  started  for  the  mountain. 
It  was  yet  quite  dark  ;  so  that  the  boy,  acting 
as  guide,  led  Valerio's  donkey,  the  others  fol- 
lowing in  single  file.  They  went  only  a  short 
distance  up  the  mountain-road,  then  turning  to 
the  right,  into  a  mere  winding  footpath,  as- 
cended an  elevation  so  steep,  that  they  had  to 
cling  to  the  pommel  of  their  saddles  to  save 
themselves  from  sliding  off;  but  the  animals, 
sure-footed,  and  accustomed  to  such  climbing, 
picked  their  way  upward  slowly  but  safely. 

They  continued  their  ascent  for  over  an  hour 
in  complete  darkness,  and  a  silence  only  inter- 
rupted by  an  occasional  cry  of  the  mountain- 
boy  to  the  donkeys,  accompanied  by  a  violent 
jerk  of  the  bridle.  They  seemed  to  pay  little 
attention  to  it,  however,  and  jogged  along  at 


AN  ITALIAN  SUNRISE.  155 

the  same  pace.  Mr.  Norman,  who  brought  up 
the  rear,  would  call  out  now  and  then,  "  Halloo, 
there !  Are  we  all  together  ? "  And  Edith, 
who  rode  next  to  Valerio,  would  reply,  "We 
are  all  right,  papa."  The  air  was  growing 
cooler  and  more  rarefied,  though  not  chilly ;  and 
it  was  so  invigorating,  that,  the  higher  they 
went,  the  stronger  they  seemed  to  feel.  Right 
and  left,  among  the  slopes  and  crags  of  the 
mountain,  grew  large  olive  and  almond  trees, 
which,  almost  bare  of  leaves,  looked  like  so 
many  giants  stretching  out  their  huge  arms  in 
the  darkness. 

Suddenly  a  faint  glimmer  of  light  brightened 
the  eastern  sky,  while  the  earth  beneath  grew 
even  darker  by  contrast.  At  the  same  mo- 
ment our  travellers  felt  a  soft  breath  of  air, 
impregnated  with  odors  of  oleander  and  jessa- 
mine, orange-blossoms  and  wild  roses,  arising 
from  the  valleys  beneath,  like  a  thanksgiving 
which  earth  offered  to  its  Creator  for  the  bless- 
ing of  the  new  morn.  They  stopped  by  one 
impulse,  and  gazed  in  silence,  while  the  rose- 
color  changed  to  orange,  and  the  summits  of 
the  Apennines  marked  more  and  more  dis- 


156  LEONE. 

tinctly  their  dark  outlines  against  the  bright- 
ening skies.  Then  Edith  turned  to  Silvio,  who 
was  close  behind  her,  exclaiming,  "  This  is  per- 
fectly divine  ! "  To  which  Silvio,  absorbed  in 
admiration,  replied,  "  It  is  the  Italian  Aurora 
which  inspired  Guido." 

Soon  after,  they  reached  a  level  spot,  where 
was  a  rustic  sanctuary  of  a  Madonna  against  a 
projecting  cliff  encircled  by  rough  stone  seats. 
This  was  the  resting-place  where  they  were  to 
view  the  sunrise.  It  commanded  a  vast  ex- 
panse of  the  Roman  Campania,  and  a  range  of 
the  Apennines  stretching  for  many  miles. 
They  alighted  from  their  saddles,  and,  sitting 
on  the  benches,  watched  the  wonderful  changes 
of  color  in  earth  and  sky.  There  were  only 
a  few  thin  clouds  in  the  east,  which,  as  the 
light  of  the  sun  reached  them,  had  changed 
from  orange  to  almost  transparent  gold.  The 
highest  peaks  of  the  mountains,  struck  first  by 
the  sun's  rays,  were  of  a  deep  fiery  red,  like  so 
many  burning  volcanoes.  The  valleys  beneath 
began  to  show  various  shades  and  colors,  which 
were  soon  distinguishable  as  woods  or  culti- 
vated fields,  villages  here  and  there  perched 


AN  ITALIAN  SUNRISE.  157 

on  the  hills,  white  farmhouses  with  the  smoke 
curling  up  in  gray  columns  from  their  chim- 
neys. The  distant  Campania,  level  as  a  North- 
American  prairie,  gave  the  impression  of  a  sea, 
broken  only  by  the  cupola  of  St.  Peter's,  that 
loomed  up  on  the  horizon.  While  they  watched, 
an  aureola  encircled  it,  like  the  halo  round  the 
head  of  a  saint ;  and  the  sun  suddenly  sprang 
up  directly  behind  it,  changing  the  whole  scene 
in  a  moment.  The  dark  shades  of  the  valleys, 
the  pearly  tints  of  morning  twilight,  the  ex- 
quisite and  varied  colors  of  the  sky,  turned  to 
a  glitter  of  gems  and  gold,  of  light  and  bril- 
liancy. A  light  mist  that  rose  from  the  valleys 
sparkled  like  silver  gauze,  irradiating,  not  hid- 
ing, the  fields  below.  What  had  seemed  fiery 
volcanoes  were  now  cones  of  precious  stones, 
the  dew  of  the  morning  reflecting  from  the 
basaltic  rocks  of  the  barren  peaks  the  prismatic 
colors  with  dazzling  radiance.  As  the  sun  still 
rose,  these  colors  grew  warmer  and  deeper,  till 
they  burst  into  the  valleys  an  effulgent  torrent 
of  light  and  blessing. 

Our  party  sat  silently  enjoying  this  wonder- 
ful sight,  unwilling  to  break  the  spell  even  by 


158  LEONE. 

an  exclamation  of  delight ;  for,  when  souls  are 
deeply  moved,  silence  is  the  best  appreciation. 
Silvio  expressed  how  deeply  he  felt  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  moment  only  by  a  gentle  pressure 
of  Edith's  hand.  Valerio  was  the  first  to  speak, 
exclaiming,  — 

"  I  am  going  to  burn  palette  and  brush,  and 
turn  actor !  What  is  the  use  of  being  a  land- 
scape painter  ?  You  may  paint  the  human  form 
so  perfectly  as  even  to  improve  upon  nature ; 
but  where  is  the  artist  who  can  fitly  represent 
this  celestial  vision  on  canvas  ?  Talk  of  Pous- 
sin,  Claude,  Cimarosa !  what  have  they  given  us 
compared  to  this  ?  Daubs :  not  the  faintest 
reflection  or  suggestion  of  the  reality.  Bah  !  I 
will  turn  actor !  " 

This  sally  made  every  one  laugh  ;  and  Silvio 
said,  — 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  you  ?  Has  the 
morning  air  got  into  your  head  ?  Is  that  your 
respect  for  the  great  masters  ?  You  are  talk- 
ing sacrilege,  especially  before  this  sublime 
creation  of  nature." 

"No,  I  mean  no  irreverence:  on  the  contrary, 
it  is  because  I  admire  and  worship  nature  too 


AN  ITALIAN  SUNRISE.  159 

well,  that  I  say  no  one  should  misrepresent  her 
on  canvas.  I,  for  one,  will  not  again  commit 
such  a  sin.  No  more  sunrises  for  me  :  a  cluster 
of  trees,  a  mill  with  a  pretty  waterfall,  a  field 
with  cattle,  the  ruins  of  the  aqueduct  in  the 
Campania,  but  no  sunrises,  or  sunsets  ei- 
ther." 

"Why,  Signer  Valerio ! "  cried  Edith,  "I 
thought  we  came  here  for  that  express  pur- 
pose. Didn't  you  say  you  wanted  me  to  paint 
an  Italian  sunrise  from  nature  ?  " 

"  Did  I  really  ?  Yes,  yes,  I  did  ;  but  I  was 
an  ass, — yes,  a  conceited  ass."  Valerio  said 
this  as  if  he  was  actually  paying  himself  a  com- 
pliment. "That  is  my  only  excuse  for  such 
presumption.  But  now,  in  face  of  this  divine 
impossibility,  I  say  to  you,  as  your  teacher, 
don't ! " 

They  all  laughed  at  his  enthusiasm  ;  but  Mr. 
Norman,  who  felt  somewhat  chilled  by  the 
morning  air,  suggested,  "  Look  here,  young 
people :  all  this  is  superb,  magnificent,  but 
don't  you  think  it  is  time  to  have  something 
warm  ? " 

"Yes,"  they  all  replied  readily:  "a  cup  of 


l6o  LEONE. 

coffee  would  be   just  the  thing,   though  it  is 
rather  too  early  for  lunch." 

Valerio,  who  acted  as  a  sort  of  factotum  for 
the  party,  assisted  by  the  boy,  set  a  spirit-lamp 
burning,  and  warmed  the  coffee.  They  then 
proposed  to  ascend  on  foot  to  a  ledge  just 
under  the  cliffs  of  the  so-called  Castellaccio, 
which  commanded  a  fine  view  of  the  right 
slope  of  the  mountain  and  the  distant  Campa- 
nia. Accordingly,  they  left  the  boy  to  look 
after  the  donkeys,  and '  prepare  the  lunch  for 
their  return,  and  started,  Valerio  leading  the 
way,  with  Edith's  painting-materials.  It  was, 
however,  a  longer  and  more  difficult  tramp  than 
they  had  imagined.  On  the  way,  they  came 
upon  a  shepherd-boy  watching  a  flock  of  sheep 
pasturing  among  the  rocks.  They  asked  him  if 
they  could  easily  reach  the  ledge  under  the 
cliff,  and  he  replied  in  the  affirmative ;  but  they 
did  not  notice  that  this  innocent-looking  boy 
watched  them  closely  as  they  climbed  on,  and, 
the  moment  they  were  out  of  sight,  started  at 
a  run  through  intricate  paths,  and  in  less  than 
half  an  hour  was  on  the  top  of  the  Castellaccio, 
warning  the  brigands  of  their  presence  in  the 
neighborhood. 


AN  ITALIAN  SUNRISE.  l6l 

When  Valerio,  after  a  fatiguing  ascent,  found 
himself  the  first  upon  the  open  space  under 
the  overhanging  cliff,  he  exclaimed,  "  Come, 
come  quick !  Here  is  a  landscape  worthy  of 
Claude  Lorraine." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Silvio,  as  he  helped  Edith  on 
to  level  ground ;  "  but  it  is  the  steepest  ascent 
I  ever  attempted.  I  am  all  out  of  breath.  I 
am  afraid  you  will  be  all  worn  out,  Miss 
Edith." 

"  Oh,  no !  I  am  a  good  climber,  and  the 
fatigue  is  well  repaid  by  such  a  wonderful 
view." 

"  Ugh  !  ugh  !  view !  "  gasped  Mr.  Norman, 
panting  for  breath.  "  It  may  be  wonderful  for 
you  young  folks  ;  but,  as  for  me,  it  is  absolute 
folly  to  attempt  climbing  such  heights.  I  am 
perfectly  used  up."  And  he  sat  down,  puffing 
and  panting,  on  a  huge  stone. 

"  Oh,  how  sorry  I  am,  papa !  but  you  can 
have  a  long  rest  and  smoke,  for  I  mean  to  take 
a  sketch  here." 

Valerio,  who  was  setting  up  Edith's  easel, 
observed,  "A  sketch,  but  no  sunrise,  Miss 
Edith,  no  sunrise."  Then,  offering  his  flask  to 


1 62  LEONE. 

Mr.  Norman,  he  said,  "  Take  a  sip :  it  will 
revive  you." 

"  No,  I  thank  you !  no  sour  black  wine  and 
water  for  me.  I  have  something  stronger 
here."  Saying  which,  he  took  a  good  pull 
from  his  own  flask.  Then  he  lighted  a  cigar, 
and,  stretching  himself  out  as  comfortably  as 
he  could  against  the  rock,  gave  himself  up  to 
the  enjoyment  of  his  smoke  and  the  magnifi- 
cent view. 

Edith  set  to  work  eagerly;  and  for  a  time 
the  silence  was  unbroken  save  by  an  occasional 
suggestion  or  word  of  praise  from  the  young 
men,  who,  one  on  each  side,  watched  her  prog- 
ress, and  drew  her  attention  to  special  points 
of  interest  in  the  glorious  scene  before  them. 


SURPRISES.  163 


CHAPTER   XI. 

SURPRISES. 

T  TALF  an  hour  or  more  had  our  party  re- 
'•  *-  mained  undisturbed,  Edith  making  fair 
progress  with  her  sketch,  the  others  finishing 
their  cigars,  when  they  were  suddenly  startled 
by  a  piercing  whistle ;  and  almost  simultane- 
ously some  twenty  men  sprang  from  behind 
the  rocks,  and,  before  they  could  raise  a  finger, 
had  surrounded  them,  crying,  "  Do  not  stir  for 
your  lives ! " 

The  movement  was  so  sudden,  that  it  almost 
paralyzed  them  all,  unconscious  as  they  had 
been  of  any  danger ;  but  Mr.  Norman,  springing 
from  his  seat,  knocked  down  the  two  men  who 
were  about  to  seize  him,  and  rushed  to  Edith's 
protection,  crying,  "  What !  What  is  this  ?  Oh  ! 
why  did  I  leave  my  revolver  behind  ?  " 

Valerio  subsided  at  once,  exclaiming,  "  Well, 
we  are  caught  in  a  trap." 


164  LEONE. 

Edith,  terror-stricken,  threw  herself  into  her 
father's  arms,  crying,  "Who  are  they?"  to 
which  Silvio  replied  encouragingly,  "  Brigands, 
I  suppose  :  but  do  not  fear,  my  love ;  they  want 
money  only."  At  the  same  time  he  stood  in 
front  of  her,  with  his  mountain-stick  in  his 
hand,  in  an  attitude  of  defence,  useless  as  it 
seemed.  Pietraccio  walked  quietly  up  to  him, 
and,  pointing  a  pistol  at  his  head,  said,  "  Drop 
that  stick,  young  man  :  it  will  do  you  no  good." 
Silvio  obeyed  at  once ;  but  Mr.  Norman,  help- 
less and  unarmed  though  he  was,  and  in  spite 
of  the  danger  of  irritating  the  brigands,  still  pro- 
tested angrily,  "  Don't  touch  me  or  my  daugh- 
ter, you  villains  !  I  will  give  you  what  money 
you  demand,  but  let  me  take  away  my  daughter." 

Maso,  presenting  a  pistol  at  him,  said  with 
his  cynical  laugh,  "  Keep  cool,  old  man,  keep 
cool.  We  will  not  hurt  any  of  you,  if  you 
keep  quiet :  as  to  money,  it  is  our  chief  who 
will  set  your  ransom." 

Silvio  tried  to  quiet  Mr.  Norman,  saying, 
"  Resistance  is  useless,  dear  Mr.  Norman.  We 
must  submit.  Money  will  easily  settle  this 
matter." 


SURPRISES.  165 

Valeric,  who  had  sat  down  coolly,  guarded 
by  some  of  the  brigands,  observed,  "  Yes,  easy 
enough  for  you ;  but  I  should  like  to  know  what 
money  they  will  get  out  of  me,  who  haven't  a 
scudo  in  the  world." 

"We  will  squeeze  some  out  of  you,  young 
man,"  replied  Maso,  with  a  grin  that  showed 
his  splendid  set  of  teeth.  "  Otherwise  you  will 
keep  us  company  for  the  rest  of  your  days." 
Saying  this,  he  turned  to  look  at  Silvio,  whose 
voice  seemed  familiar  to  him.  Recognizing 
him,  he  turned  quickly  away,  thinking  to  him- 
self, "  Confound  it !  The  young  painter  of  the 
portrait !  I  wonder  if  he  can  recognize  me  as 
I  look  now!  How  curious,  if  we  should  get 
those  two  thousand  francs  after  all !  But  then, 
he  is  the  painter  our  chief  used  to  visit  so 
often.  I  am  afraid  we  have  only  made  a  hole 
in  the  water ;  but  there  is  no  remedy  now." 

Meanwhile,  Pietraccio  had  ordered  the  pris- 
oners to  be  blindfolded,  which  was  quickly 
done,  they  offering  no  resistance ;  and  Maso, 
leading  Valeric  first,  took  the  way  upward,  fol- 
lowed by  Mr.  Norman  and  Edith,  who  clung  to 
her  father.  Silvio  came  close  behind  them,  and 


1 66  LEONE. 

the  brigands  kept  as  close  around  them  as  the 
nature  of  the  ground  permitted.  Mr.  Norman 
noticed,  that  though  his  bandage,  consisting  of 
a  large  silk  handkerchief,  completely  obstructed 
his  view  forward,  yet,  by  lowering  his  eyes,  he 
could  see  the  buttons  of  his  vest,  and  the 
bunch  of  charms  hanging  from  his  watch-chain  : 
among  these  there  was  an  excellent  little  com- 
pass and  a  tiny  gold  pencil.  With  his  American 
coolness  and  practical  mind  he  devised  a  means 
to  track  his  way.  He  held  the  compass  level, 
though  in  a  manner  not  to  attract  observation, 
and  counted  how  many  steps  they  took  in  any 
one  direction,  and  marked  it  on  his  cuffs.  A 
toilsome  climb  of  half  an  hour  or  more  brought 
them  once  more  to  level  ground,  where,  after  a 
few  steps,  they  stopped.  Mr.  Norman  heard 
distinctly  the  turning  on  its  hinges  of  what 
must  have  been  a  very  massive  door ;  and,  mov- 
ing on,  he  felt  that  they  had  entered  some  dark 
vault  or  cave.  They  walked  quietly  on  for 
some  distance  on  a  hard  turf  floor,  and  finally 
stopped.  Pietraccio  ordered  the  men  to  un- 
blind  the  prisoners  ;  and  they  found  themselves 
in  a  large  cavern,  sufficiently  lighted  by  a  wide 


SURPRISES.  167 

opening  of  irregular  form  on  one  side,  looking 
out  over  an  inaccessible  precipice.  In  a  recess 
at  the  right  was  a  low  bed  covered  by  a  quilt 
made  of  sheep-skins  ;  and  over  it  hung  a  picture 
covered  by  a  green  veil,  —  a  not  unusual  protec- 
tion for  valuable  paintings  where  there  is  any 
danger  of  dampness.  Opposite,  between  two 
groups  of  ancient  weapons,  hung  a  picture  of 
St.  Nicholas,  the  patron  saint  of  highwaymen : 
before  this  a  lamp  was  burning.  A  little  far- 
ther off,  three  or  four  shelves  held  a  few  books 
and  a  number  of  flasks  and  decanters,  goblets 
and  glasses.  These  were  of  all  varieties, — 
from  silver  and  majolica  of  exquisite  workman- 
ship down  to  the  coarsest  ware.  A  few  tables, 
holding  pipes,  tobacco-pouches,  and  what  not, 
and  some  wooden  stools  and  settees,  completed 
the  furniture  of  this  grotto,  reserved  for  the 
chief's  use.  Other  openings,  right  and  left,  led 
to  a  labyrinth  of  similar  grottos,  occupied  by 
the  rest  of  the  band. 

The  first  feeling  of  our  four  prisoners,  when 
their  eyes  were  unbound,  was  that  of  relief, 
especially  as  they  perceived  four  or  five  women, 
who  crowded  round  Edith  with  wonder  and 


1 68  LEONE. 

curiosity,  as  at  a  sight  hitherto  unknown  in 
that  place.  Mr.  Norman,  provoked  and  indig- 
nant at  having  been  so  easily  caught,  cried, 
"  Well,  where  are  we  ?  I  protest,  I  will  not 
stand  this.  What  do  you  mean  to  do  with  us  ? 
I  swear,  I  will  make  them  all  smart  for  this ! " 
he  added  in  English,  shaking  his  fist  at  the 
whole  crew  of  them. 

"  O  papa !  Do  not  irritate  them.  We  are 
in  their  power  now ;  and  you  do  not  know  what 
they  may  do,  if  you  make  them  angry." 

"  Do  ?  What  do  you  suppose  they  want  to 
do,  except  extort  money  ?  It  is  a  disgrace  that 
such  beings  should  exist  in  a  civilized  country. 
Oh !  if  I  ruled  here,  I  would  stop  it  quickly 
enough  by  hanging  the  whole  lot." 

"  Look  here,  old  gentleman ! "  interrupted 
Maso,  who  always  acted  as  the  spokesman, 
"you  can  speak  our  language  well  enough;  and 
we  don't  allow  any  foreign  lingo  among  us. 
Now,  remember !  or  you  will  be  sorry  for  it." 

Mr.  Norman  was  so  irritated  by  the  man's 
impudent,  sneering  manner,  that,  yielding  to 
his  instinctive  aversion,  and  regardless  of  con- 
sequences, he  exclaimed  in  Italian,  — 


SURPRISES.  169 

"  Yes,  I  can  speak  your  language  ;  and  I  was 
saying,  that,  if  I  ruled  in  this  country,  I  would 
soon  have  you  all  hung." 

Edith  rushed  to  put  her  hand  over  her  fa- 
ther's mouth,  crying,  "  O  papa,  papa  !  Don't ! " 
Silvio  and  Valerio  stood  amazed  at  his  daring 
to  brave  such  a  set  of  ruffians ;  but  Maso  took 
it  quietly,  even  jocosely,  though  the  others 
frowned. 

"  That's  right,  old  gent !  That's  right !  Ha, 
ha  !  Hang  us  all  ?  Yes,  when  you  catch  us  : 
so  would  the  Pope.  But  for  the  present  we 
have  caught  you,  though  we  will  not  hang  you. 
What  do  we  care  to  see  your  fat  body  dancing 
on  nothing  ?  We  will  only  squeeze  some  money 
out  of  you.  Englishmen  are  rich."  At  this 
sally,  all  his  companions  laughed,  appreciating 
Maso's  wit. 

"  I  am  not  English,  I  am  an  American,"  re- 
plied Mr.  Norman  with  national  pride. 

"  So  much  the  better,  so  much  the  better ! " 
sneered  Maso.  "The  Americans,  they  say,  are 
richer  than  the  English.  Plenty  of  gold  in 
America.  I  should  like  to  go  there  ;  and  who 
knows  but  I  may  some  day  ? " 


I7O  LEONE. 

"  I  wish  you  were  there  :  you  would  soon  be 
at  the  end  of  a  rope." 

"  O  papa,  papa !  "  pleaded  Edith.  "  Please 
don't  talk  so  to  them." 

"I  am  not  afraid  of  them,"  cried  Mr.  Nor- 
man, who  was  in  a  state  of  intense  irritation. 

"Afraid!"  said  Maso,  who  seemed  to  enjoy 
the  verbal  contest,  as  indeed  did  the  other 
brigands,  who  stood  around  them,  proud  that 
one  of  their  number  could  argue  with  an  edu- 
cated gentleman.  "  Why  should  you  be  afraid 
of  us  ?  We  will  not  touch  a  hair  of  your  heads. 
Do  you  take  us  for  assassins  ?  Money  is  what 
we  want.  Come,  Pietraccio,  assure  them  that 
we  mean  no  personal  harm." 

"Do  your  own  talking,"  replied  Pietraccio 
gruffly.  "  I  am  a  man  of  action,  not  of  talk. 
You  are  the  lawyer  of  the  company." 

"  Lawyer ! "  exclaimed  Valerio,  who  was  much 
interested  in  the  conversation,  and  admired 
Mr.  Norman  V  fearless  attitude.  "  Have  you  a 
lawyer  in  your  band  ? " 

"  Yes,  young  man  ;  and  in  me  you  behold 
him,"  replied  Maso,  with  an  affected,  pompous 
air. 


SURPRISES.  I/I 

Silvio,  who  was  standing  close  behind  Edith, 
was  struck  by  the  sound  of  the  man's  voice, 
which  he  thought  he  had  heard  before,  and, 
scrutinizing  his  face,  he  was  convinced  that  he 
had  seen  it ;  but  the  rough,  half-grown  beard 
altered  it  so,  that  he  could  not  exactly  remem- 
ber when  or  where. 

Here  Pietraccio  interrupted  the  conversation, 
saying,  — 

"  Come,  Maso,  the  prisoners  must  be  tired." 

"Why,  yes!"  rejoined  Maso;  and,  with  an 
attempt  at  refined  manners,  he  addressed  them  : 
"Come,  sit  down,  and  take  a  glass  of  wine. 
Have  you  had  any  thing  to  eat  this  morning  ? 
What !  No  ?  Here,  Clelia,  Marcia !  Get  some- 
thing ready  at  once,  whatever  our  poor  larder 
can  afford, — eggs,  "ham,  mutton,  and  some 
good  wine.  That  I  can  guarantee.  You  can- 
not find  better  anywhere." 

The  women  bustled  about ;  and,  in  a  short 
time,  a  rustic  repast  was  served  which  would 
have  done  credit  to  the  best  Italian  country 
tavern.  The  captives  were  tired  and  hungry 
after  their  morning  ride  and  subsequent  excit- 
ing tramp  ;  and,  being  now  somewhat  assured 


1/2  LEONE. 

that  no  personal  harm  threatened  them,  they 
sat  down  to  it  with  some  relish,  Mr.  Norman 
observing,  — 

"  Well,  I  never  met  brigands  before ;  and,  if 
these  are  a  specimen,  they  are  not  so  bad  after 
all.  As  long  as  they  don't  treat  us-  badly, 
money  will  settle  the  rest." 

When  they  had  finished  eating,  the  two 
women  who  had  been  called  by  the  old  Roman 
names  of  Clelia  and  Marcia,  —  superb  speci- 
mens of  pure  Roman  peasants,  with  powerful 
necks  and  chests,  and  proud  heads,  and  who 
had  been  the  foremost  in  attending  the  table, 
—  noticing  that  Edith  took  no  wine,  said  to 
her,  — 

"  Take  a  glass  of  wine,  signorina  :  it  will  do 
you  good." 

"  Thank  you !  I  never  drink  wine  at  break- 
fast." 

"But  do  take  some:  you  must  be  exhausted." 

To  please  them,  she  sipped  a  little,  then 
asked  if  she  might  go  and  look  out.  "Cer- 
tainly," they  replied,  and  accompanied  her  to 
the  irregular  opening  already  mentioned,  where 
Edith  sat  breathing  the  fresh  mountain  air,  and 


SURPRISES.  173 

looking  out  over  the  fine  distant  view,  while 
the  two  women  spoke  to  each  other  in  low 
tones,  but  loud  enough  for  her  to  hear. 

"  What  a  beautiful  lady !  Her  hair  is  like 
gold ! " 

"  And  her  skin  like  rose-leaves  !  " 

"  So  different  from  our  women  !  " 

"  It  must  be  so  soft ! "  and  Clelia,  softly 
stroking  Edith's  hair,  which  was  drawn  back 
in  a  large  coil,  said,  "As  smooth  as  silk ! " 

And  Marcia,  lightly  rubbing  her  finger  over 
Edith's  hand,  that  rested  on  the  back  of  the 
settee,  exclaimed,  "As  soft  as  butter!" 

The  touch  startled  Edith,  whose  nerves  had 
been  somewhat  unstrung  by  the  fear  and  ex- 
citement of  the  last  few  hours,  and  she  cried, 
"Oh!  Don't  touch  me!  don't  touch  me!  If 
you  want  my  rings,  I  will  give  them  to  you ; 
but  don't  touch  me."  And,  taking  off  the  two 
rings  she  had  on  that  hand,  she  handed  one  to 
each. 

"  Oh  how  beautiful  !  Oh  how  splendid  !  " 
cried  the  two  women  together.  Maso  and  Pie- 
traccio,  attracted  by  their  exclamations,  drew 
near,  saying,  — 


1 74  LEONE. 

"  Halloo  !  What  are  you  doing  ?  Taking  the 
lady's  rings?" 

"You  forget  that  it  is  against  the  rules  to 
take  any  thing  without  orders  from  our  cap- 
tain." 

"We  did  not  take  them:  the  signorina  gave 
them  to  us." 

"Yes,  I  gave  them  to  you,"  acknowledged 
Edith;  "but  do  not  let  those  men  come  near 
me." 

"Don't  be  afraid  :  they  would  not  hurt  you." 
Then,  turning  to  the  two  men,  they  gave  them 
such  a  push  with  their  strong  arms,  that  they 
staggered  back  a  step  or  two,  saying  at  the 
same  time,  "  Get  away :  don't  come  near  the 
signorina." 

Maso  showed  his  white  teeth  in  a  broad 
grin,  and  said,  "Don't  growl.  Nobody  wants 
to  touch  your  pretty  doll;"  while  Pietraccio  the 
silent,  as  if  pleased  at  this  violence  on  his  wife's 
part,  laughed,  crying,  "Jealous !  jealous  !  I  can't 
look  at  a  woman,  but  she  flares  up."  And 
they  rejoined  the  group  round  the  table. 

Edith  sat  down  again,  and  the  two  women 
at  each  side  of  her  gazed  at  her  in  perfect 


SURPRISES.  175 

admiration.      Silvio    came    towards    her,    say- 
ing.— 

"I  wish  I  could  paint  you  now,  you  make 
such  a  charming  contrast  between  those  sun- 
burnt peasants." 

"Yes,  indeed!"  observed  Valeric  aside  to 
Silvio,  "an  angel  between  two  thieves." 

Mr.  Norman  came  up,  glass  in  hand,  exclaim- 
ing, "Well,  I  must  say  these  brigands  keep  a 
very  good  wine."  Then  drinking  it,  and  put- 
ting down  the  goblet,  he  turned  to  Maso,  say- 
ing, "Come,  how  long  are  we  to  be  kept 
here?" 

Maso  turned  upon  him  quickly,  as  if  about 
to  say,  "You  are  too  bold,  considering  the 
position  you  are  in;"  but  there  was  something 
so  manly  and  brave  in  his  bearing,  so  different 
from  what  they  had  been  accustomed  to  when 
they  had  captured  other  elderly  men,  that  it 
rather  pleased  the  sleek  rascal :  so  he  replied 
politely,  "Till  our  captain  comes.  You  must 
settle  matters  with  him." 

"It  makes  me  so  mad  to  be  caught  in  such 
a  trap  !  "  said  Mr.  Norman  impatiently. 
>    "  We  must  have  patience,  Mr.  Norman,"  said 


176  LEONE. 

Valerio  good-humoredly ;  "and,  as  long  as  we 
are  here,  we  may  as  well  make  the  best  of  it.  — 
I  say,  lawyer,"  turning  to  Maso,  "how  came 
you  to  be  a  brigand?" 

Maso  seemed  highly  pleased  at  being  asked 
the  question ;  and  striking  an  attitude  as  if 
about  to  deliver  an  oration,  and  putting  in  an 
occasional  Latin  word  to  show  that  he  had 
studied,  he  began,  — 

"  Fatalitas,  my  boy,  fatalitas !  When  a 
boy  I  was  articled  to  a  lawyer ;  but,  as  I  was 
fonder  of  billiards  than  of  the  pandects  of  Jus- 
tinian, the  old  scoundrel  used  to  apply  the  rod 
to  my  back  oftener  than  was  at  all  agreeable. 
When  I  was  about  nineteen,  I  felt  that  I  could 
stand  it  no  longer.  One  morning  I  lost  at 
billiards  five  francs,  which  he  had  given  me  to 
buy  paper ;  and  he  applied  it  with  more  than 
usual  violence.  I  lost  my  patience  ;  and,  hap- 
pening to  have  my  stiletto  with  me,  I  drew  it 
to  frighten  him.  Instead  of  that,  he  struck 
the  harder,  and  tried  to  wrench  it  from  my 
hand.  Quod  agitur !  What  would  you  have 
done  ?  I  stuck  it  under  his  fifth  rib  ;  and,  before 
he  could  say,  "Miserere  me  Deus"  he  dropped 


SURPRISES.  177 

dead.  Horrcsco  referens !  I  really  did  not 
mean  to  kill  the  old  rascal ;  but,  after  the  thing 
was  done,  what  could  I  do  ?  Stay,  and  be 
hung  or  sent  to  the  galleys  ?  I  escaped  to  the 
mountains,  and  here  I  am."  And,  turning  to 
the  men  crowding  near,  he  said  with  a  low  bow, 
"  Plaudite  omnes!"  His  companions  cried 
out,  "  Bravo,  Maso,  well  spoken !  You  were  born 
for  a  predicatore"  (preacher).  "Del  diavolo  /" 
suggested  Valeric  in  a  low  tone  to  Silvio. 
"  Impudent  ruffian ! "  thought  Mr.  Norman  to 
himself ;  but  still,  curious  to  learn  more  of 
these  people,  he  asked,  "  I  suppose  your  com- 
panions are  here  for  similar  causes  ? " 

"  Well,  pretty  much  the  same,"  said  Maso. 
Then,  turning  to  the  second  in  command,  he 
added,  "  Here,  Pietraccio,  favete  linguis.  '  Tell 
the  gentleman  why  you  are  with  us." 

Pietraccio,  who  had  been  listening  compla- 
cently with  the  others,  drew  back  confused  at 
this  direct  attack. 

"  I  ?  Tell  it  yourself,"  he  said  roughly.  "  I 
am  no  talker." 

"  Yes,  yes  !  you  tell  it :  you  are  the  lawyer," 
cried  the  others,  who  took  a  lively  interest  in 


1 78  LEONE. 

the  conversation.     Maso  bowed  with  an  affected 
grimace,  and  resumed,  — 

"  That  is  very  true,  Pietraccio :  when  a  pis- 
tol or  a  poniard  is  needed,  then  you  are  the 
first  on  hand ;  but,  when  it  is  a  question  of 
brains,  you  reply,  like  the  Pope,  '  Non  possu- 
mus.'  Breviter,  this  is  his  story.  Pietraccio 
was  in  love  with  Clelia,  but  there  was  a  rival 
who  tried  to  insinuate  himself  into  her  graces. 
He  challenged  him :  they  fought  with  knives, 
and  Pietraccio  killed  his  adversary.  '  Mortuus 
est.  Requiescat  in  pace?  Had  they  fought 
with  swords  or  pistols,  society  would  have 
called  it  a  duel ;  and  the  thing  would  have 
passed  off  as  merely  an  affair  of  honor,  and 
the  survivor,  after  a  few  months  of  expatria- 
tion, would  have  returned  with  the  applause 
of  the  community.  But  because  we  fight  with 
knives,  they  call  it  murder,  assassination,  and 
what  nc>t,  and  send  us  to  the  gallows  for  it. 
Society  calls  this  law,  —  made  for  the  poor, 
and  not  for  the  rich;  but  so  much  the  worse 
for  them,  for  now  we  are  above  the  law.  Pie- 
traccio married  Clelia,  and  brought  her  here, 
and  she  is  as  good  as  any  of  us.  The  others 


SURPRISES.  1 79 

are  all,  more  or  less,  in  the  same  predicament. 
But  the  chief  inducement  that  holds  us  to- 
gether is  money :  as  Virgil  says,  '  Quid  non 
mortalia  pectora  cogis,  Auri  sacra  fames  ? ' ' 

With  this  last  flourish  he  closed,  while  his 
companions  cried  out,  "  Bravo,  bravo  !  " 

In  the  midst  of  the  noise  there  was  heard 
a  loud  whistle  from  the  outer  passage ;  and 
Pietraccio  cried,  "  Here  is  our  captain  !  " 

Our  party  waited  in  anxious  expectation  to 
see  the  man  who  had  them  in  his  power.  Edith 
rose  from  the  window,  and  ran  to  her  father's 
side  in  nervous  agitation.  The  brigands  stood 
round  the  passage  in  respectful  attitudes,  the 
five  women  in  the  background  watching  curi- 
ously to  see  what  effect  the  sight  of  such  a 
formidable  man  would  have  on  the  prisoners. 
There  was  a  moment  of  intense  suspense,  then 
suddenly,  from  the  dark  passage,  appeared  the 
imposing  form  of  Leone. 

My  young  readers  may  expect  that  I  should 
describe  the  picturesque  and  gorgeous  costume 
of  a  brigand  chief  according  to  the  stage  tradi- 
tions ot  that  famous  personage ;  but  as  my 
characters  are  all  drawn  from  nature,  and  not 


180  LEONE. 

from  romance  or  the  stage,  I  must  state  that 
he  was  dressed  in  the  plain  gray  hunting-suit 
commonly  worn  by  hunters  in  the  Campania, 
with  his  double-barrelled  gun  hanging  by  its 
strap  over  his  shoulders,  and  followed  by  two 
superb  hounds.  No  one,  meeting  him  out  on 
the  hills  or  in  the  plains,  could  have  supposed 
but  that  he  was  a  gentleman  out  hunting  with 
his  dogs. 

The  astonishment  of  Silvio  and  Valeric,  at 
the  sight  of  their  supposed  old  model  in  his 
true  character  of  brigand  chief,  can  be  more 
easily  imagined  than  described.  Bewildered  by 
surprise,  they  gasped  out,  "  Antonio !  Is  it 
possible ! " 

"Antonio?  No:  Leone,  captain  of  the 
Campania  and  Apulia,"  exclaimed  Maso  with 
boastful  pride.  The  surprise,  however,  seemed 
to  have  communicated  itself  to  Leone,  who,  at 
the  unexpected  sight  of  Silvio  and  his  compan- 
ions, started  back,  exclaiming,  "  What !  Silvio  ! 
Valeric  !  How  is  this  ?  "  And  turning  upon 
Pietraccio  and  Maso,  who  stood  in  advance  of 
the  rest,  he  asked  fiercely,  with  the  look  of  a 
lion  ready  to  spring,  "  How  came  these  people 
here?" 


SURPASSES.  1 8 1 

Pietraccio,  as  second  in  command,  replied 
submissively,  "  They  entered  our  territory  una- 
wares, and  we  made  them  prisoners  without 
any  trouble.  The  foreigner  and  his  daughter 
must  be  rich  people :  so  there  may  be  a  good 
ransom.  Maso  advised  the  capture." 

"You  have  disobeyed  the  rule  that  no  cap- 
ture should  be  undertaken  without  my  orders," 
said  the  chief  sternly.  Maso,  having  been 
mentioned  as  the  adviser  of  the  deed,  felt  that 
he  ought  to  defend  it :  so  he  spoke  out,  — 

"Your  orders  may  be  well  and  good,  cap- 
tain ;  but,  when  an  opportunity  like  this 
offered,  we  could  not  wait  for  orders,  and  this 
surely  was  an  exception." 

"  I  admit  of  no  exception  to  my  rules,  and  I 
will  see  to  it  that  you  do  not  disregard  them 
in  future,"  replied  Leone  in  a  tone  of  sup- 
pressed anger. 

"But,  captain  " — resumed  Maso,  who,  as  the 
lawyer  of  the  band,  was  ever  ready  to  argue ; 
but  Leone  cut  him  short  with  an  authoritative, 
"  Enough  !  Stand  back !  Off  with  you  all ; 
for  these  people  are  my  guests,  not  my  prison- 
ers." 


1 82  LEONE. 

They  dispersed  in  different  directions,  though 
many  still  remained  in  sight  in  the  adjoining 
grottos.  As  Maso  walked  off  with  Pietraccio, 
he  said  in  a  low  tone,  "  It  is  of  no  use :  he  is 
getting  demoralized.  Such  an  opportunity  of 
getting  thousands  of  scztdi,  accomplished  with- 
out any  trouble  or  risk,  and  he  throws  it  away ! 
There  is  something  wrong.  That  old  monk,  I 
fear" — and  they  went  into  the  next  cave, 
though  still  in  sight  of  the  party,  and  sat  on  a 
bench,  talking  to  each  other. 

Leone  hastened  to  Silvio,  and,  taking  him 
affectionately  by  the  hand  to  re-assure  him, 
exclaimed,  "Signor  Silvio,  I  am  so  sorry  this 
should  have  happened.  I  knew  that  you  were 
in  this  neighborhood,  but  I  had  no  idea  that 
you  would  come  so  near  our  den." 

"  Father  Francesco  had  assured  me  that  there 
was  not  the  slightest  danger  for  any  one 
here." 

"  He  was  right.  No  one  ever  dares  to  com- 
mit a  capture  in  my  neighborhood  ;  and  it  only 
happened  now  through  disobedience  to  my  or- 
ders, which  I  shall  certainly  punish.  But  you 
and  your  friends  are  now  free,  and  at  liberty  to 


SURPRISES.  183 

go  anywhere  about  here  without  fear  of  moles- 
tation." 

Leone  did  not  say  why  there  was  no  danger 
of  capture  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  brigands' 
hiding-place ;  but  the  reason  was,  that  such  cap- 
tures would  attract  the  attention  of  the  police 
to  that  locality,  and  discovery  might  ensue. 

Silvio's  surprise  was  so  great  at  discovering 
that  his  favorite  model,  whom  he  used  to  turn 
and  twist  about  like  a  puppet,  was  such  a 
redoubtable  chief,  that  he  could  hardly  ask  the 
question  that  rose  to  his  lips. 

"  You  are,  then,  the  famous  Leone,  the  terror 
of  the  Papal  States  ?  But  what  induced  you  to 
come  to  me  so  many  years  as  a  model  ? " 

Leone  expected  some  such  question,  and  had 
an  answer  ready.  "  Oh  !  it  was  at  first  an  excuse 
to  disguise  myself  when  I  was  in  Rome.  After- 
wards I  took  a  fancy  to  you  and  your  paintings. 
You  may  think  it  strange,  but  I  am  very  fond 
of  works  of  art.  Now,  you  must  consider  your- 
self here  among  friends ;  but  let  me  re-assure 
your  companions." 

Valerio  stood  near,  listening  with  amazement, 
and  thought  to  himself,  "  Curious  fancy  for  a 


1 84  LEONE. 

brigand ;  but  I  fear  there  is  some  mystery 
under  it  all." 

Leone  turned  to  Edith,  and,  with  a  politeness 
and  gallantry  totally  unexpected  in  such  a 
person,  said  to  her,  "I  am  exceedingly  sorry, 
dear  young  lady,  that  any  thing  should  have 
happened  to  mar  the  pleasure  of  your  morning 
excursion.  I  hope  you  were  not  much  fright- 
ened." Then  to  Mr.  Norman  he  continued,  "  I 
regret  this  disturbance  deeply,  my  dear  sir ; 
but,  since  you  are  here,  I  hope  you  will  make 
yourself  at  home.  Will  you  take  a  glass  of 
wine  ? " 

Mr.  Norman  was  so  taken  aback  by  the  cour- 
teous manner  of  the  chief,  and  the  contrast  he 
offered  to  the  rest  of  the  band,  especially  after 
his  late  irritation  and  excitement,  that  he  re- 
plied involuntarily,  as  he  would  have  done  to  a 
friend,  — 

"  No,  I  thank  you :  I  have  already  enjoyed 
some  of  your  excellent  wine  ;  but,  if  you  will 
allow  us  to  go,  I  give  you  my  word  to  remit 
immediately  whatever  ransom  we  may  agree 
upon." 

"  Ransom  !  "  replied  Leone  with  an  offended 


SURPRISES.  185 

air.  "  I  said  that  you  were  my  guests,  not  my 
prisoners." 

"  What !  you  mean  to  liberate  us  without 
ransom  ? " 

"  Certainly." 

Maso,  who  was  sitting  with  Pietraccio  in  the 
adjoining  cave,  but  near  enough  to  hear  the 
conversation,  whispered  in  his  ear,  "  I  tell  you, 
our  captain  is  surely  crazy.  Just  think  what 
a  chance  !  Here  is  the  old  gentleman  ready 
and  willing  to  shell  out  any  amount  of  scudi, 
and  he  lets  them  go  scot-free.  I  tell  you,  there 
is  certainly  something  wrong." 

"Well!"  said  Mr.  Norman,  amazed  at  the 
turn  of  events.  "  You  are  the  strangest  sort  of 
brigand  I  ever  heard  of." 

Edith,  who  could  hardly  realize  their  safety, 
said  earnestly,  "  Then  let  us  go  away  from  here 
at  once,  papa.  —  Silvio,  let  us  go  immediately." 

"  Fear  not,  my  dear  young  lady,"  said  Leone 
soothingly,  and  taking  her  hand,  much  to  her 
dismay,  for  she  felt  almost  as  if  it  were  in  the 
paws  of  a  real  lion.  "  You  are  as  safe  here  as 
in  your  own  house.  Signer  Silvio  was  always 
kind  to  me,  though  he  knew  not  who  I  was  ;  and 


1 86  LEONE. 

any  friend  of  his  is  under  my  special  protec- 
tion." 

At  this  declaration  Mr.  Norman  could  not 
help  remarking  in  a  low  tone  to  Valeric,  "  Good 
gracious !  He  talks  as  if  he  were  the  ruler  of 
the  land." 

"  As  to  that,  Mr.  Norman,  he  is,  until  he  is 
caught." 

"You  must  all  be  tired,"  continued  Leone. 
"  Why  cannot  you  rest  a  little  longer,  and  have 
a  cup  of  coffee  or  some  wine  before  you 
go?" 

"As  long  as  we  are  here,  we  might  just  as 
well  get  rested,  since  our  host  is  so  hospitable," 
laughed  the  light-hearted  Valeric,  always  ready 
to  take  life  easily.  "We  have  not  had  our  smoke 
yet,  and  I  see  some  excellent  pipes  here." 

They  all  followed  his  advice,  and  sat  down 
again ;  some  filling  pipes,  Mr.  Norman  passing 
round  his  cigar-case,  while  the  women  brought 
cups  for  coffee,  and  glasses  for  cordials.  And, 
while  the  strangely  assorted  party  sat  inter- 
changing the  courtesies  of  host  and  guests, 
Silvio,  who  sat  near  Valeric,  still  half-bewil- 
dered, whispered  to  him,  — 


SURPRISES.  187 

"  I  do  not  understand  his  excessive  fondness 
for  me." 

"  Nor  I ;  but  take  the  good  as  it  comes,  and 
ask  no  questions.  What  would  be  the  use  ? " 

Mr.  Norman  said  to  Edith  aside,  in  English, 
"  Well,  I  declare !  this  is  the  most  curious 
adventure  I  ever  met  with  in  my  life." 

"  Yes  :  it  will  be  something  to  tell,  when  we 
go  home  to  America,  that  we  were  captured  by 
brigands,  and  not  only  let  off  without  ransom, 
but  actually  entertained." 

Mr.  Norman,  while  smoking  his  cigar,  sur- 
veyed the  place  with  curiosity,  glancing  occa- 
sionally at  his  compass  to  get  the  exact  bearings. 
While  doing  so,  he  noticed  the  group  of  weapons 
hanging  at  each  side  of  the  picture  of  St.  Nich- 
olas :  so  he  went  to  examine  them  more  closely, 
saying,  "You  have  some  curious  old  weapons 
here." 

Valeric,  who  had  risen  at  the  same  time, 
remarked,  "And  a  painting  from  a  good  old 
master." 

Edith  and  Silvio  also  rose  to  see  the  picture  ; 
and  he  confirmed  Valerie's  opinion  that  it  was 
really  the  work  of  an  old  master,  and  they  won- 


1 88  LEONE. 

dered  where  he  could  have  got  it.  Edith  had 
noticed  also  the  picture  protected  by  the  green 
veil,  and,  supposing  that  it  might  also  be  some 
valuable  painting,  asked  Leone,  "  What  picture 
have  you  under  that  veil  ?  " 

Leone  started,  and  replied  with  some  embar- 
rassment, "  Oh  !  —  that  is  only  a  Madonna." 

"A  Madonna?  Oh,  do  let  me  see  it  !"  and 
she  stepped  forward  with  the  evident  intention 
of  lifting  the  veil.  Leone  seized  her  arm 
quickly,  saying  anxiously,  "  No,  no,  no !  It  is 
not  worth  it." 

But  Silvio  had  followed  Edith ;  and  anxious 
to  meet  any  wish  she  might  express,  and  feel- 
ing that  he  could  take  any  liberty  with  Leone, 
jumped  on  to  the  bed,  and  drew  back  the  veil, 
saying,  "  Why  not  ?  Let  the  young  lady  see  it." 

Leone,  at  Silvio's  unexpected  movement,  left 
Edith,  and  sprang  like  a  tiger  to  stop  him,  cry- 
ing, "  No,  no  !  Do  not  touch  it !  "  But  he  was 
too  late.  Silvio,  thunderstruck,  recognized  the 
portrait  stolen  from  his  studio.  He  staggered 
back  with  a  cry  of  anguish,  "  My  mother !  my 
mother!"  It  attracted  the  attention  of  Mr. 
Norman  and  Valerio,  who  of  course  knew  the 


SURPRISES.  189 

picture  at  once.  Pietraccio,  Maso,  the  women, 
and  several  of  the  brigands  drew  near,  making 
quite  a  picturesque  group  round  the  principal 
characters.  Silvio,  controlling  his  emotion, 
stepped  boldly  up  to  Leone,  and  in  an  imperi- 
ous voice  demanded,  "  Antonio,  Leone,  or  what- 
ever your  name  really  is,  why  did  you  take  that 
portrait  from  my  studio  ?  What  interest  had 
you  in  it  ?  What  interest  had  you  in  me  ?  " 

To  the  astonishment  of  the  outlaws,  Leone, 
the  terror  of  the  Campania,  before  whom  the 
most  lawless  and  famous  brigands  trembled, 
Leone  now  not  only  bore  without  resentment 
the  authoritative  air  assumed  by  Silvio,  but 
actually  stood  subdued  before  him.  Trembling 
with  emotion,  he  seized  his  hand,  saying,  "  Sil- 
vio, do  not  ask  me  —  I  knew  her  —  when  I  was 
young  —  and  —  I  loved  you  for  her  sake." 

The  astonishment  of  the  bystanders  increased 
at  this  assertion,  and  they  drew  still  nearer 
with  intense  curiosity  and  interest.  Silvio  was 
amazed  at  his  answer :  he  drew  his  hand  slowly 
away  from  Leone,  gazing  at  him  a  while  as  if 
in  a  dream,  then  almost  gasped,  "  Knew  her  ? 
Loved  me  for  her  sake  ?  —  Knew  her,  you 


190  LEONE. 

say  ? "  Then,  as  if  a  sudden  light  had  flashed 
upon  his  mind,  he  exclaimed  with  indescriba- 
ble anguish,  "  What !  —  Is  it  possible  ?  —  Can  I 
be  —  then — your — your  son?"  And,  as  Leone 
gave  no  denial  to  the  question,  he  continued, 
"Your  son!  —  the  son  of  a  brigand  —  an  out- 
law ! " 

Leone,  stung  by  the  expression  of  shame  and 
horror  with  which  Silvio  uttered  these  broken 
words,  seized  his  hands,  and,  raising  his  head 
in  proud  defiance,  exclaimed,  "  Of  a  brigand  ? 
No !  Leone  di  Montalba  is  no  brigand  :  he  is 
king  of  the  Campania  and  Apulia  !  " 

As  if  felled  by  a  thunderbolt,  Silvio  sunk  to 
the  earth  at  these  words.  Valerio  and  Leone 
lifted  him  up,  and  laid  him  on  a  settee ;  and 
the  anxious  affection  and  solicitude  manifested 
by  the  brigand  left  no  doubt  in  the  minds  of 
those  around  that  he  was  really  his  father.  In 
a  few  moments  Silvio  came  to  himself;  and 
looking  up  into  the  well-known  face  of  Leone, 
which  he  had  so  often  painted,,  he  murmured  to 
himself,  "  Ah  !  It  is  true  then  !  The  son  of  a 
brigand  !  The  son*of  a  brigand  !  " 

Edith  could  no  longer  suppress  her  deep  dis- 


SURPRISES.  IQl 

tress  at  this  startling  discovery  that  crushed  all 
her  hopes ;  and  she  hid  her  face  in  her  father's 
bosom,  crying,  "  His  son !  Then  I  have  lost 
him  forever ! " 

The  tears  sprang  involuntarily  to  Mr.  Nor- 
man's eyes  ;  though  he  was  a  man  not  easily 
affected  outwardly,  however  tender-hearted.  He 
stroked  her  hair  lovingly,  whispering,  "Poor 
child !  Poor  child  !  " 

Maso,  who  stood  near  Pietraccio,  foremost 
among  the  spectators  of  this  exciting  and  unex- 
pected scene,  putting  his  forefinger  to  his  nose 
with  a  significant  gesture,  winked,  and  whis- 
pered, "  H'm  !  His  son  ?  Now  I  understand." 


LEONE. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE   ENGAGEMENT   BROKEN. 

r  I  ^HE  monastery  bells  were  ringing  the 
-*-  Angelus  on  the  evening  of  that  eventful 
day,  twilight  was  fast  disappearing  before  ad- 
vancing night,  the  air  was  balmy,  the  place  as 
peaceful  and  quiet  as  on  the  evening  before  : 
even  our  four  friends,  to  all  outward  appear- 
ance, seemed  to  have  followed  the  usual  rou- 
tine ;  for  Father  Francesco,  having  supped  with 
them,  had  gone  to  church  to  attend  the  evening 
prayers,  Edith  and  Silvio  had  gone  out  to  the 
grove  behind  the  cloister,  and  Mr.  Norman 
and  Valeric  were  smoking  in  the  dining-room 
of  the  Foresteria.  Every  thing  seemed  the 
same ;  and  yet  what  a  change  in  those  twenty- 
four  hours ! 

After  the  first  shock  of  the  unexpected  dis- 
covery of  his  supposed  parentage,  Silvio's 
gentle,  dutiful  nature  had  resumed  its  sway :  he 


THE  ENGAGEMENT  BROKEN.  193 

sadly  took  Leone's  hand,  saying  in  a  low  tone, 
"  Since  I  am  your  son,  I  will  devote  my  life  to 
redeem  yours  ;  but,  for  the  present,  allow  us 
to  leave  this  place."  Leone  at  once  gave 
the  necessary  orders,  then  said  to  Silvio,  "I 
shall  be  away  for  four  or  five  days ;  but  I  en- 
treat you  and  your  friends  to  remain  at  Son- 
nino,  where,  on  my  return,  I  will  see  you,  and 
have  a  long  explanation,  for  there  are  many 
things  which  I  must  settle  now."  Maso,  who 
stood  near  with  a  large  bandanna  handkerchief 
to  blindfold  Silvio, — for  even  Leone  himself 
could  not  allow  any  outsider  to  go  through  the 
intricate  passages  approaching  the  cave  with 
open  eyes,  —  heard  this  last  remark,  and,  twist- 
ing his  mouth  with  a  sneer,  thought  to  himself, 
"  H'm  !  I  will  find  out  what  sort  of  a  settlement 
you  mean." 

Our  party,  though  blindfolded,  were  treated 
with  the  utmost  consideration.  Leone  himself 
led  Silvio  first ;  Clelia  and  Marcia  took  charge 
of  Edith,  lifting  her  in  their  strong  arms  over 
any  difficult  places,  and  petting  her,  both  by 
words  and  actions,  as  if  she  were  a  pretty 
child ;  Pietraccio  escorted  Mr.  Norman,  and 


194  LEONE. 

Maso,  Valerio.  When  they  reached  the  rustic 
chapel  where  they  had  left  the  boy,  they  found 
him  sound  asleep,  and  the  donkeys  quietly 
munching  the  bundles  of  coarse  straw  that 
they  had  brought  up  in  their  saddle-bags. 

Here  they  parted  ;  the  brigands  remaining 
there  until  the  others  were  out  of  sight,  that 
they  might  not  perceive  what  direction  they 
took  in  returning  to  their  den. 

On  reaching  the  Foresteria,  where  they  ar- 
rived late  in  the  afternoon,  Mr.  Norman  sum- 
moned Father  Francesco,  and  related  to  him 
all  the  strange  events  of  the  day.  When  they 
came  to  the  discovery  of  the  stolen  picture, 
and  Leone's  acknowledgment  that  he  was  the 
father  of  Silvio,  Father  Francesco  nervously 
stroked  his  long  white  beard,  murmuring,  "  Ah  ! 
I  had  suspected  as  much  !  I  had  suspected  as 
much!" 

"Is  it  he,  then,  who  has  furnished  the  means 
for  my  education,  and  provided  so  liberally  for 
all  my  wants  ? " 

"Yes,  Silvio  :  since  Leone  has  acknowledged 
that  he  is  your  father,  I  see  no  further  reason 
for  keeping  it  secret.  It  was  Leone  who  con- 


THE  ENGAGEMENT  BROKEN.  195 

ficled  you  to  my  care,  and  has  paid  all  your 
expenses." 

"  Oh !  why  did  you  not  tell  me  so  before  ? " 
exclaimed  Silvio  with  an  expression  of  deepest 
distress. 

"  My  son,  I  had  given  my  sacred  word  as  a 
priest  when  I  took  charge  of  you  :  and  breaking 
that  word  is  more  than  sin  ;  it  is  sacrilege. 
Moreover,  I  felt  that  it  was  better  for  you  not 
to  know  it.  He  consented  that  I  should  reveal 
the  name  of  your  mother,  which  I  did ;  and 
every  thing  had  been  satisfactorily  arranged 
for  your  happiness.  But  man  proposes,  and 
God  disposes.  Who  could  have  foreseen  that 
such  a  revelation  should  have  taken  place  in 
so  unexpected  a  manner?  Let  us,  therefore, 
humbly  submit  to  His  will,  for  what  He  ordains 
must  be  the  best.  But  let  us  talk  no  more 
about  it  to-night :  we  are  disturbed  and  excited 
by  the  startling  events  that  have  occurred.  It 
is  now  the  Ave  Maria ;  and  I  must  go  to  prayer, 
to  beg  our  merciful  Mother  that  she  will  vouch- 
safe to  us  all  strength  to  bear  with  patience 
and  resignation  the  trials  which  God  has  per- 
mitted to  fall  upon  the  innocent,  and  wisdom 


196  LEONE. 

to  decide  what  is  best  to  be  done  hereafter. 
God's  blessing  be  with  you  all  !  To-morrow, 
God  willing,  we  can  talk  matters  over  with 
more  calmness  and  clearer  minds." 

He  left  the  Foresteria,  and  walked  thought- 
fully to  the  church.  The  groups  of  peasants 
who  were  hastening  to  it  also,  for  the  evening 
Angelus,  kissed  devoutly  the  beads  of  his  long 
rosary  as  they  met  him.  There  was  an  air  of 
such  dignity  and  holiness  about  him,  that  our 
friends  watched  respectfully,  almost  religiously, 
his  slow  progress  towards  the  church  ;  Mr.  Nor- 
man saying  to  himself,  "  That  man  is  no  hypo- 
crite :  he  is  a  saint." 

Edith  and  Silvio,  moved  by  a  simultaneous 
impulse,  left  the  room  soon  after  Father  Fran- 
cesco, and  went  hand  in  hand,  like  children,  to 
the  seat  they  had  occupied  the  evening  before. 
They  did  not  speak,  they  did  not  even  dare  to 
lift  their  eyes  to  each  other :  their  hearts  were 
too  full  for  either  words  or  looks.  Only  the 
nervous  clasp  of  their  hands  betrayed  to  each 
other  their  painful  emotion. 

Long  they  sat,  silently  watching  the  fading 
light,  while  the  tolling  of  the  Angelus  echoed 


THE   ENGAGEMENT  BROKEN.  197 

back  from  the  surrounding  hills  like  a  funeral 
knell.  Silvio,  recalling  the  happiness  of  the 
previous  night,  was  suddenly  overwhelmed  by 
the  sharp  contrast  of  their  present  misery. 
Gazing  mechanically  into  the  darkening  sky, 
he  felt  as  if  the  last  spark  of  vitality  were  leav- 
ing him ;  and,  with  a  deep  sigh,  he  sank  back 
against  the  wall.  Edith  started  up  in  alarm, 
and,  raising  his  head  on  her  arm,  called,  "  Sil- 
vio, Silvio,  speak  to  me  !  "  Bending  over  him, 
her  warm  tears  fell  on  his  face,  and  partly 
roused  him  from  his  stupor.  For  a  moment 
the  tearful,  loving  face  leaning  above  him 
seemed  to  his  excited  fancy  the  Mater  Dolorosa 
of  Luini,  in  her  ethereal,  faint  beauty  ;  but  the 
warm  drops  that  still  fell  from  her  eyes  quickly 
recalled  him  to  the  sad  reality. 

"  Dearest  Edith  !  "  he  exclaimed,  starting  up, 
"  do  not  weep,  or  you  will  drive  me  mad. 
Where  are  we  ?  Ah,  I  am  almost  beside  my- 
self !  O  Edith !  you  see  how  weak  I  am,  — 
weaker  than  a  woman.  Oh,  to  think  that  I 
am  the  son  of  a  brigand,  a  criminal !  Oh  !  why 
was  I  ever  born  ?  " 

The  anguish  in  his  voice  was   almost   more 


198  LEONE. 

than  poor  Edith  could  bear,  but  the  cruel  fact 
could  not  be  ignored.  She  had  been  educated 
to  a  lofty  standard  of  duty,  that  no  sentiment 
or  passion  could  outweigh.  She  summoned  all 
her  powers  of  self-control,  and,  pressing  Sil- 
vio's hand,  spoke  to  him  calmly,  though  with 
suppressed  emotion  :  — 

"  It  is  a  bitter  trial,  Silvio  :  but  we  must  both 
bear  it,  —  I,  for  the  love  and  duty  I  owe  to  my 
kind  father ;  you,  to  yours.  I  love  you  as  much 
as  I  did  yesterday,  more,  even,  for  the  very 
reason  that  you  are  suffering ;  but  you  must 
see,  that,  under  the  circumstances,  there  can 
be  nothing  more  between  us.  I  consented  to 
be  your  wife  when  your  parentage  was  un- 
known, but  now  you  yourself  could  not  ask  nor 
desire  it.  You  have  a  noble  duty  to  perform, 
—  that  of  reclaiming  your  father  from  the  life 
he  is  now  leading :  devote  yourself  to  him  and 
to  art.  I  shall  do  the  same.  We  may  never 
be  happy  ourselves ;  but  we  shall  have  the 
blessed  consciousness  of  having  done  our  duty, 
and  made  the  happiness  of  others." 

Silvio  listened  to  her  words,  so  replete  with 
true  love,  self-sacrifice,  and  lofty  conception  of 


THE  ENGAGEMENT  BROKEN.  199 

duty.  He  bowed  his  head  submissively,  as  if 
he  had  received  his  final  sentence,  saying 
only,  — 

"  You  are  a  pure  angel,  and  teach  me  how  to 
love  aright ;  you  are  one  of  the  cherubim,  and 
teach  me  wisdom  ;  you  are  a  saint,  and  teach 
me  holiness  ;  and  I  promise  to  submit  humbly, 
and  obey  you  as  long  as  I  live." 

"  You  are  an  artist  and  an  Italian,  and  ever 
soaring  above  the  clouds.  I  am  not  one  of  the 
celestial  hierarchy,  but  a  plain  American  girl, 
with  a  warm  heart  and  a  clear  brain.  I  love 
you  dearly,  dearly,  as  I  know  you  do  me ;  but 
reason,  duty,  every  thing,  oblige  us  to  part. 
You  must  agree  with  me  :  you  know  that  there 
is  no  help  for  it.  Come,  let  us  go  back  to  the 
house.  O  Silvio !  on  an  evening  like  this,  on 
the  Pincio,  only  such  a  little  while  ago,  you 
gave  me  the  first  kiss  of  love  :  here  take  the 
last,  and  God  forever  bless  you ! "  At  this 
point  her  heart  failed  her,  and  she  burst  into 
tears.  Silvio,  too  agitated  to  speak,  pressed 
her  tenderly  to  his  heart,  and  caressed  the  dear 
head  with  its  beautiful  bright  hair ;  then,  gently 
raising  her  hidden  face,  he  imprinted  upon  her 
white  forehead  the  last  kiss  of  love. 


2OO  LEONE. 

Mr.  Norman  and  Valeric  had  remained  in 
the  Foresteria,  but  neither  of  them  seemed 
much  disposed  for  conversation.  Mr.  Norman 
was  sitting  at  a  table,  absorbed  in  thought ; 
Valeric,  on  the  balcony,  staring  at  the  twilight, 
while  he  puzzled  himself  over  his  companion's 
calmness.  "  If  I  live  to  the  age  of  Methuse- 
lah," ran  his  thoughts,  "  I  shall  never  under- 
stand these  Americani.  Have  they  really  got 
blood  in  their  veins  ?  How  coolly  they  take 
every  thing !  I  thought  by  this  time  the  father 
would  be  pacing  up  and  down  the  room  like 
a  caged  lion,  growling  and  roaring,  cursing 
Rome,  the  Pope,  the  brigands,  and  every  thing 
in  heaven  and  earth.  Instead,  just  look  at  him, 

—  quiet   as  a  mouse.     He  hasn't  said  a  cross 
word   since  we   left   our  undesirable   company 
this  morning ;  and  now  he  is  sitting  there,  puf- 
fing away  at  his  cigar,  as  if  nothing  had  hap- 
pened,  and   apparently   absorbed   in   admiring 
the  fine  cut  of  his  cuffs.     And  his  daughter ! 

—  gentle  as   a  kitten,  sitting  down  to  supper 
(though,   for  that   matter,    she   might   as  well 
have  staid  away ;  for  she  didn't  eat  any  thing), 
calmly  smiling  at  Silvio,  and  relating  to  Father 


THE  ENGAGEMENT  BROKEN.  2O1 

Francesco  the  minutest  details  of  our  romantic 
adventure,  as  if  she  had  been  a  mere  indifferent 
spectator ;  while  an  Italian  girl,  losing  the  hope 
of  marrying  the  man  she  loved,  would  not  have 
left  a  hair  on  her  head,  and  there  would  have 
been  no  end  of  fits  and  hysterics,  weeping  and 
wailing,  and  attempts  to  throw  herself  over  the 
balcony.  She,  on  the  contrary,  is  as  calm  as  a 
nun ;  though  I  have  no  doubt  she  feels  awfully. 
Why  in  the  world  didn't  she  fall  in  love  with 
me  ? "  At  this  point,  he  noticed  that  Mr.  Nor- 
man had  taken  a  sheet  of  paper,  and,  with  a 
pencil  and  ruler,  was  drawing  lines,  and  writ- 
ing something;  still,  at  intervals,  examining 
his  cuffs.  His  curiosity  was  so  far  excited,  that 
he  could  not  resist  rising  from  his  chair,  and 
crossing  the  room,  on  pretence  of  getting  a 
light  for  his  cigar.  Passing  near  Mr.  Norman, 
he  stopped,  and  looked  at  what  he  was  doing. 
He  saw  that  he  was  not  writing,  but  drawing 
very  irregular  zigzag  lines,  and  over  them  mark- 
ing letters  and  figures,  such  as,  — 

W.  S.  W.  77  —  W.  22  —  W.  %  N.  105  —  N.  N.  W.  101 ; 
and  so  on.     As  he   could   make   neither  head 


2O2  LEONE. 

nor  tail  of  that,  he  returned  to  his  seat,  think- 
ing,  "What  on  earth  is  he  doing?  Studying 
algebra,  or  the  cabala?  Queer  people  these 
Americani,  very  queer  people  !  " 

Mr.  Norman  continued  some  time  longer 
studying  his  algebraic  or  cabalistic  signs  ;  while 
Valeric,  puffing  away  at  his  cigar,  watched  him 
with  wonder.  Finally,  he  seemed  to  have 
reached  some  conclusion  satisfactory  to  him- 
self; for,  carefully  folding  the  paper  upon 
which  he  had  been  marking,  and  putting  it 
into  his  pocket-book,  he  came  out  upon  the 
balcony,  and,  walking  up  to  Valeric,  said  with 
a  triumphant  air,  — 

"  I  hold  those  brigands  in  the  hollow  of  my 
hand." 

Valeric  was  really  startled  ;  thinking  that  the 
man  had  lost  his  wits,  and,  with  an  uncomforta- 
ble fear  that  he  might  attempt  something  peril- 
ous, said, — 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Mr.  Norman  ? " 

"  I  mean  what  I  say.  I  have  every  one  of 
those  brigands  in  my  power.  It  depends  on 
me  to  have  every  single  one  of  them  arrested 
and  hung." 


THE  ENGAGEMENT  BROKEN.  2O3 

"The  man  is  surely  demented,"  thought 
Valerio,  who  had  that  almost  superstitious  awe 
of  the  omnipotence  of  brigandage  common  to 
Southern  Italians  ;  but  he  could  not  resist  ask- 
ing, "How  are  you  going  to  do  it  ?  Have  you 
calculated  the  risk  ?  " 

"  How  am  I  going  to  do  it  ?  That  I  will  not 
tell  you  just  now.  And,  as  to  the  risk,  I  am 
willing  to  risk  my  life  to  rid  society  of  such  a 
nest  of  ruffians." 

"But  then,  you  must  remember  that  their 
chief  is  Silvio's  father,  and  that  he  certainly 
treated  us  most  generously,  setting  us  free 
without  ransom." 

"  Ah !  you  have  me  there,  I  confess.  I  had 
rather  they  had  extorted  twenty  thousand  dol- 
lars from  me  than  have  been  set  free  by  the 
discovery  that  has  blasted  my  poor  Edith's 
happiness."  Mr.  Norman's  tone  and  expres- 
sion, at  first  defiant  and  indignant  against  the 
criminals  whose  power  he  seemed  to  despise, 
here  changed  suddenly  to  such  a  depth  of  feel- 
ing and  distress,  as  quite  upset  all  Valerie's 
theory  of  the  stoical  placidity  of  the  Americani. 
"Bless  me!  if  he  goes  on  like  that,  I  can't 


204  LEONE. 

stand  it !  I  shall  be  blubbering  like  a  school* 
boy  in  a  minute."  And,  to  change  the  subject, 
he  asked,  — 

"  What  do  you  mean  to  do  ? " 

"  Mean  to  do  ?  That  is  easily  settled.  This 
marriage,  of  course,  cannot  take  place.  I  have 
not  said  any  thing  to  Edith ;  but  I  know  her 
too  well  to  need  to  suggest  what  it  becomes 
her  to  do  under  the  circumstances.  She  has 
gone  out  with  Silvio  on  purpose ;  and  I  am 
sure,  that,  by  this  time,  every  thing  is  arranged. 
It  will  break  her  heart,  but  I  know  she  will  do 
it."  For  a  moment  his  voice  betrayed  his  dis- 
tress again;  andValerio  almost  cried  out,  "Oh, 
don't  !  don't ! "  but  he  quickly  recovered  him- 
self, and  continued,  "She  is  a  sensible  girl, 
though,  and  very  conscientious.  She  will  not 
give  way  to  it.  I  must  take  her  away  from 
Rome, — from  Italy.  We  shall  probably  travel 
in  Germany  and  France,  and  settle  down  wher- 
ever she  prefers,  —  perhaps  in  Dresden  or 
Paris, — where  she  can  continue  her  studies. 
But  hush !  Here  they  come." 

Mr.  Norman  had  heard  their  steps  in  the 
next  room ;  but  Silvio  took  his  leave  there,  and 


THE  ENGAGEMENT  BROKEN.  2O$ 

Edith,  entering  alone,  did  not  notice  Valeric  in 
the  balcony,  but,  rushing  into  her  father's  arms, 
cried  out  with  deep  emotion,  "It  is  all  over, 
papa,  all  over !  Our  engagement  is  broken  !  " 
and  she  clung  to  him,  sobbing  convulsively. 

Valeric,  this  time,  could  stand  it  no  longer. 
Dashing  his  half-finished  cigar  into  the  street, 
he  stole  across  the  room  on  tiptoe,  unobserved 
by  the  two,  who  were  too  deeply  agitated  to 
notice  him,  and,  when  outside,  pulled  out  his 
handkerchief,  nervously  rolling  it  up  into  a 
ball,  with  which  he  struck  rather  than  wiped 
his  eyes,  exclaiming  almost  aloud,  "Why  on 
earth  did  not  that  girl  fall  in  love  with  me  ?  " 
and  rushed  out  into  the  open  square,  to  study 
the  effect  of  the  campanile  of  the  old  convent 
against  the  clear,  starlit  sky. 


The  next  morning,  after  an  early  breakfast, 
the  travelling  carriage  that  had  brought  them 
to  Sonnino  drove  up  to  the  door  to  take  them 
back  to  Rome,  as  Mr.  Norman  had  wisely  con- 
cluded, that,  since  the  engagement  was  broken 
off,  it  was  better  for  them  to  separate  as  quick- 
ly as  possible.  Valeric  was  to  escort  them  to 


206  LEONE. 

Rome ;  but  Silvio  would  remain  at  Sonnino 
with  Father  Francesco,  as  his  father  had  re- 
quested. He  remembered  what  Leone  had 
said  about  his  friends  also  waiting  until  his 
return,  but  he  did  not  urge  it.  What  further 
intercourse  could  there  be  between  them  and 
his  father  ?  Moreover,  he  himself  felt,  that, 
since  they  must  part,  the  sooner  it  was  over, 
the  better.  Mr.  Norman,  before  leaving,  had 
made  a  farewell  call  on  Father  Francesco  in  his 
cell.  The  good  father  was  reading  his  brev- 
iary ;  but,  on  Mr.  Norman's  entrance,  he  closed 
the  book,  and  gave  his  guest  a  seat,  saying,  — 

"  I  am  very  sorry,  my  dear  Mr.  Norman,  that 
you  should  have  taken  the  trouble  to  come  up 
to  my  poor  cell :  I  had  intended  to  go  to  you, 
to  consult  as  to  what  was  oest  to  do,  as  soon  as 
I  had  finished  my  morning  religious  duties." 

"Well,  I  thought,  on  the  whole,  that  there 
was  nothing  more  to  be  said  about  it.  The 
young  people  themselves  have  taken  the  proper 
course,  and  have  voluntarily  broken  off  the 
engagement.  Therefore  I  decided  that  it  was 
best  to  depart  at  once,  and  came  up  only  to 
take  leave  of  you." 


THE  ENGAGEMENT  BROKEN.  2O/ 

"  Yes  :  Silvio  was  with  me  all  last  night,  and 
informed  me  of  their  resolution.  I  approved, 
of  course,  for,  under  the  circumstances,  there 
was  nothing  else  to  be  done ;  but  still,  I  had 
wished  that  we  might  have  had  some  further 
explanation  with  Leone  before  you  left.  There 
is  something  unsatisfactory  about  him  still, 
which  might  have  been  cleared  up;  and  who 
knows  but  that  some  further  disclosures  might 
have  brought  us  to  a  different  conclusion,  and 
restored  the  happiness  of  our  young  people  ? 
I  dread  the  effect  of  this  severe  blow  on  my 
poor  Silvio,  who  is  of  such  a  sensitive  and 
affectionate  nature :  it  will  utterly  destroy  all 
his  hopes,  his  ambition,  his  very  life,  I  fear. 
And  you  also  must  feel  the  same  in  regard  to 
your  lovely  daughter.  I  have  been  thinking 
over  this  matter  all  night,  and  I  still  have  some 
lingering  doubt  as  to  Leone's  relationship  to 
Silvio." 

"  What !  What  doubt  can  you  possibly  feel  ? 
His  own  statement,  and  the  life-long  interest 
he  has  shown  for  the  lad,  fully  attest  it.  What 
but  a  father's  love  could  have  made  a  criminal 
like  him  act  as  he  has  done  towards  Silvio  ? " 


208  LEONE. 

"  Ah !  Mr.  Norman,  you  know  little  of  the 
mysteries  of  the  human  heart,  or  the  passion- 
ate Italian  temperament.  Leone  may  be  un- 
fortunate, rather  than  the  criminal  you  consider 
him." 

Mr.  Norman  was  greatly  surprised  at  this 
attempt  to  palliate  Leone's  notorious  guilt 
by  so  reverend  a  man  as  Father  Francesco, 
even  while  he  expressed  doubt  of  his  asserted 
relationship  to  Silvio.  His  former  suspicions 
recurred  to  him  ;  and  again  he  thought  to  him- 
self, "Is  this  man  really  a  hypocrite,  or  a 
saint  ? "  But,  in  any  case,  he  felt  still  more 
anxious  to  get  away.  The  idea  that  he,  and 
even  worse,  his  daughter,  should  have  any 
thing  more  to  do  with  one  so  closely  connected 
with  either  a  saint  or  a  sinner,  either  an  unfor- 
tunate man  or  an  assassin  and  outlaw,  so  out- 
weighed every  other  consideration,  that  he 
fully  decided  to  leave,  not  only  Sonnino,  but 
Italy,  as  soon  as  possible.  Thus  resolved,  he 
answered,  — 

"  Father  Francesco,  whatever  interest  you  or 
Leone  may  have  in  Silvio,  my  daughter,  with 
my  entire  approval,  has  fully  decided  on  the 


THE  ENGAGEMENT  BROKEN.  2OQ 

only  and  right  course  to  take :  therefore  we 
had  better  depart  at  once.  We  leave  Sonnino 
to-day,  and  in  a  short  time  we  shall  be  far  away 
from  Italy.  I  shall  never  forget,  however,  how 
kind  and  good  and  hospitable  you  have  been  to 
us  ;  and  if  ever,  in  any  way,  I  can  be  of  service 
to  you,  believe  me,  it  will  give  me  the  greatest 
pleasure." 

He  took  the  hand  of  the  good  monk,  who 
seemed  very  much  distressed  at  this  resolution, 
saying  sadly,  — 

"Poor  Silvio!  Poor  Silvio!  Well,  well! 
The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done.  His  blessing  be 
with  you  all !  "  He  laid  on  the  table  the  brev- 
iary, which  he  had  been  holding,  adding,  "I 
will  finish  my  morning  lesson  later,  and  go 
with  you  to  the  Foresteria  to  take  leave  of 
your  estimable  daughter  " 

An  hour  later  the  carriage  containing  Mr. 
Norman,  Edith,  and  Valerio  was  descending  at 
a  quick  trot  the  zigzag  road  down  through 
the  Alpine  village  of  Sonnino ;  and  when  they 
passed  under  the  ancient  wall  of  the  Capuchin 
Convent,  by  a  common  impulse  they  looked 
up,  and  there,  leaning  over  the  parapet,  under 


2IO  LEONE. 

the  trees  of  the  esplanade  where  Edith  and 
Silvio  had  sat  the  two  previous  evenings,  stood 
Father  Francesco  leaning  on  Silvio's  shoulder. 
The  movement  of  his  long  white  beard,  slightly 
agitated  by  the  morning  breeze,  looked  as  if 
his  lips  were  moving  in  prayer  for  them,  while 
he  waved  his  handkerchief.  Was  it  a  last  fare- 
well, or  a  blessing  ? 

As  the  carriage  turned  the  corner,  and  they 
were  lost  to  sight,  Edith  buried  her  face  in  the 
handkerchief  which  she  had  waved  in  response, 
her  father  asking  himself  with  real  anxiety, 
"  Is  he  saint,  or  hypocrite  ? "  whilst  Valeric, 
who,  whether  intentionally  or  not,  had  taken  a 
seat  beside  the  driver,  never  turned  his  head, 
but  puffed  away  at  his  cigar  as  if  his  life 
depended  upon  its  speedy  consumption. 


LEONE'S  AMBITION.  211 


CHAPTER   XIII. 
LEONE'S  AMBITION. 

OILVIO  had  now  been  several  days  at  Son- 
^-^  nino,  without  seeing  or  hearing  any  thing 
from  Leone.  He  lived  in  a  cell  of  the  convent, 
more  like  a  monk  than  an  artist.  With  the 
exception  of  Father  Francesco,  he  hardly  saw 
or  spoke  to  any  one.  He  had  attempted  once 
or  twice  to  paint,  but  could  accomplish  nothing ; 
his  mind  seemed  an  absolute  blank :  and  he 
entertained  serious  thoughts  of  joining  the 
brotherhood,  and  burying  himself  in  a  convent. 
He  thought  to  himself,  "When  time  and  the 
peaceful  monastic  life  shall  have  calmed  my 
earthly  passions,  I  will  return  to  my  art,  and, 
like  Beato  Angelico,  portray  the  angelic  ethe- 
real forms  that  I  see  in  my  ascetic  visions." 
But,  whenever  he  expressed  the  slightest  hint 
of  a  desire  to  enter  the  convent,  Father  Fran- 
cesco would  reply,  "  No,  my  son :  you  never 


2 1 2  LEONE. 

had  any  vocation  for  it,  nor  have  you  now. 
Your  disappointment  and  despondency  make 
you  feel  a  craving  for  rest  and  seclusion  :  these 
you  can  have  without  taking  monastic  vows. 
Such  resolutions  should  not  be  made  hastily 
and  rashly  :  they  would  only  bring  remorse  and 
suffering.  Besides,  you  have  another  mission, 
a  duty  nobler  than  the  retreat  from  the  battle 
of  life,  and  that  is,  to  win  your  father  from  his 
evil  life.  I  have  tried  hard  for  these  many 
years,  but  unsuccessfully :  God  may  have  left 
it  for  your  filial  love  to  accomplish.  If  you 
succeed,  the  satisfaction  you  will  experience 
will  go  far  to  repay  you  for  your  sad  loss." 

Thus,  from  time  time,  the  good  monk  would 
try  to  console,  cheer,  and  rouse  Silvio,  who,  in 
return,  would  vow  to  himself  to  lay  aside  every 
other  thought,  and  devote  himself  to  the  refor- 
mation of  his  father. 

One  evening,  while  he  was  sitting  in  his 
guardian's  cell,  listening  to  his  wise  advice,  a 
knock  was  heard  at  the  door  ;  and,  when  Father 
Francesco  said  "  Come  in, "  Leone  lifted  the 
latch,  and  appeared  on  the  threshold.  He  was 
dressed,  as  usual,  in  his  hunting  costume  of 


LEONE'S  AMBITION.  2IJ 

gray  velvet,  which  looked  black  in  the  darkness 
of  the  corridor.  The  oil-lamp  on  the  monk's 
table  threw  its  faint  red  light  on  his  sunburnt 
face,  giving  it  a  fierce,  lion-like  look  sufficiently 
terrifying.  But,  at  the  sight  of  Silvio  with 
Father  Francesco,  his  stern  features  relaxed, 
a  smile  of  love  irradiated  them  as  with  a  gleam 
of  sunshine,  and  he  sprang  with  open  arms  to 
kiss  and  embrace  him,  crying,  "O  Silvio,  my 
son,  my  son  ! "  with  such  intense  fervor,  that 
it  almost  overpowered  the  dejected  youth. 

Father  Francesco  stood  watching  them  with 
emotion  and  delight ;  thinking,  "  Strange  man  ! 
strange  man !  What  a  powerfully  impulsive 
nature,  —  as  strong  in  love  as  in  hatred ;  but 
through  this  love,  by  God's  mercy,  we  may 
work  out  his  salvation."  Approaching  them, 
he  laid  his  hand  gently  on  Leone's  shoulder, 
saying,  "Welcome,  Leone,  into  this  holy  place  : 
may  its  peace  be  a  balm  to  your  restless  spirit ! 
For  the  first  time  you  meet  your  son  to  be  rec- 
ognized by  him  as  his  father,  but  I  am  still  his 
guardian.  Remember  our  agreement  when  you 
brought  him  to  me,  that  you  renounced  all  right 
and  claim  over  him,  and  promised  never  to 


214  LEONE. 

reveal  your  relationship  to  him.  You  have 
broken  the  promise ;  but  I  have  power  to  hold 
you  to  your  agreement,  if  I  consider  it  for  his 
interest,  and  as  long  as  you  lead  your  present 
life  "  — 

Leone  turned  a  glance  of  quick  reproach 
upon  him,  interrupting,  "  Father  Francesco, 
not  a  word  of  this  before  my  Silvio,  please.  I 
shall  certainly  never  claim  what  I  have  re- 
nounced, nor  do  I  wish  to ;  for  I  feel  deeply 
and  gratefully  how  faithful  you  have  been  to 
him.  As  to  my  not  keeping  my  promise,  you 
forget  that  it  was  pure  accident  that  revealed 
it.  But  since  fate  willed  it  so,  and  you  know 
how  dearly  I  love  him,  will  you  not  now  let  him 
love  me?"  He  turned,  and  clasped  Silvio  to  his 
heart,  as  if  he  wished  to  expend  in  an  hour  all 
the  love  he  had  held  repressed  within  his  bosom 
for  so  many  years.  Silvio,  actually  bewildered 
by  this  vehement  expression  of  affection  from 
a  man  whom  he  hardly  knew  whether  to  love 
or  fear,  stood  silent  and  confused. 

"  God  forbid  that  I  should  put  any  obstacle 
in  your  way,  or  prevent  you  from  showing  your 
affection  for  your  son  ;  and,  as  this  is  your  first 


LEOA^E'S  AMBITION. 

meeting,  I  think  the  presence  of  a  third  person 
must  be  irksome.  Silvio,  take  your  father  into 
your  own  cell  ;  but  before  you  go  away,  Leone, 
come  back  and  see  me." 

Leone  did  not  wait  for  Silvio  to  go  first :  but 
putting  his  arm  round  him,  like  a  loving  girl, 
he  gently  drew  him  into  his  cell,  and  closed  the 
door ;  then,  taking  the  youth's  head  between 
his  hands,  he  looked  at  him  intently,  exclaim- 
ing, — 

"  How  handsome  you  are !  The  perfect 
image  of  your  mother  !  " 

The  word  "mother"  roused  Silvio  from  his 
bewilderment :  he  almost  forced  Leone  into  a 
seat,  and,  drawing  a  chair  for  himself  beside 
him,  said  anxiously, — 

"  Do  tell  me  about  her !  do  tell  me  !  Who 
was  she  ?  When  did  she  die  ?  " 

These  questions  seemed  to  disturb  Leone. 
A  violent  shudder  ran  through  him  :  he  grasped 
Silvio's  hand  tightly,  saying  slowly  and  with 
effort,  "  Your  poor  mother  ?  my  Silvia  !  Ah  ! 
she  died  only  a  few  days  after  your  birth.  She 
was  a  saint,  a  martyr!  Do  not  speak  of  her. 
I  cannot  bear  it :  it  unmans  me."  There  was 


2l6  LEONE. 

almost  a  suspicion  of  tears  in  his  eyes ;  and 
his  bold,  lion-like  countenance  saddened  into 
the  expression  which  Silvio  had  transferred  to 
the  canvas  when  Leone  had  sat  to  him  as  the 
model  of  St.  Jerome. 

"  Poor  mother  !  Poor  mother  !  I  cannot  re- 
sist speaking  of  her.  It  is  the  first  time  in  my 
life  that  I  have  had  any  opportunity  of  ask- 
ing about  her.  Until  now  my  only  knowledge 
of  her  has  been  the  little  miniature  which  was 
round  my  neck,  and  from  which  I  painted  the 
portrait  you  took  away,  and  which  caused  the 
discovery." 

"I  could  not  help  it,  Silvio.  You  painted 
her  as  she  was  when  living.  I  saw  my  Silvia, 
and  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  possess 
it.  I  knew  you  could  paint  another." 

While  they  were  speaking  of  it,  Silvio  had 
involuntarily  put  his  hand  in  his  breast,  and 
almost  unconsciously  taken  out  the  locket  con- 
taining the  miniature.  Leone  perceived  it ; 
and,  taking  it  eagerly  from  his  hand,  unclasped 
it,  and,  raising  it  to  his  lips,  kissed  it  devoutly, 
saying,  "  It  is  she,  my  saint,  my  angel !  She 
gave  this  to  me  when  we  were  engaged,  and  I 
had  it  set  in  this  locket." 


LEONE'S  AMBITION.  2I/ 

As  he  closed  the  case,  the  ducal  coronet  on 
the  outside  caught  his  eye.  Instantly  the  ten- 
derness faded  from  his  face :  he  was  again  the 
fierce,  savage  brigand.  His  eyes  blazed ;  and, 
almost  crushing  the  locket  in  his  grasp,  he 
cried,  — 

"  That  is  not  the  case  it  was  in ! "  But, 
noticing  Silvio's  astonishment  at  this  unex- 
pected change,  he  controlled  himself,  and  in  a 
milder  tone  resumed,  — 

"  Forgive  me,  Silvio ;  but  the  sight  of  that 
locket  brought  back  bitter  memories.  Take 
back  your  miniature  :  keep  it  sacredly,  for  it  is 
the  face  of  a  blessed  saint."  He  handed  it 
back  to  Silvio ;  then  with  a  shake  of  his  head, 
as  if  to  drive  away  painful  thoughts,  he  added, 
"  Let  us  talk  of  something  else,  —  of  yourself, 
of  your  future  prospects.  Where  are  your 
friends  the  Americans,  especially  that  lovely 
girl?" 

At  the  mention  of  Edith,  Silvio  grew  pale, 
and,  sinking  back  in  his  chair,  replied  in  a  tone 
of  bereavement,  "  Gone,  gone  away  from  Italy, 
never  to  return." 

"  What !  Gone  away !  Did  I  not  tell  you 
to  keep  them  till  my  return  ? " 


2l8  LEONE. 

"Father," — and,  in  addressing  him  by  this 
name,  Silvio  felt  a  pang  of  distress  which  he 
could  hardly  conceal,  —  "  what  was  the  use  of 
detaining  them  ?  We  had  been  engaged,  but 
mutually  agreed  to  break  it  off,  the  moment  we 
discovered  that  I  was  the  son  of  "  —  He  stopped, 
unwilling  to  say  more  in  his  father's  presence  ; 
but  Leone  took  up  his  sentence  boldly. 

"  Son  of  a  brigand  ?  Say  it :  it  does  not 
offend  me.  I  am  a  brigand,  and  am  proud  of 
it.  There  was  a  time  when  I  might  have 
thought  as  you  do ;  but  now,  after  so  many 
years  of  experience,  I  have  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  world  belongs  to  those  who  know 
how  to  rule  it.  What  was  Napoleon  but  a  Cor- 
sican  brigand  on  a  larger  scale  ?  I  reign  over 
the  Roman  Campania  and  the  Apulia.  If  I  suc- 
ceed in  extending  my  sway  over  the  Neapolitan 
States,  who  knows  but  that  I  might  overthrow 
that  puny  king,  and  proclaim  myself  in  his 
place  ?  Who  was  Masaniello  ?  Who  was  Cola 
di  Rienzi  ?  Who  defeated  the  French  Republi- 
can army  under  Championnet,  but  Cardinal 
Ruffo  at  the  head  of  the  brigands  of  the  Cam- 
pania and  the  Neapolitan  States  ?  Do  you  sup- 


LEONE'S  AMBITION:  219 

pose  that  my  only  ambition  is  to  levy  blackmail 
upon  a  few  country  proprietors,  and  to  carry 
off  what  government  money  I  can  lay  my 
hands  on  ?  Do  you  think  that  I  command  only 
those  few  men  whom  you  saw  at  Castellaccio  ? 
I  have  hundreds  under  my  orders  in  the  Cam- 
pania and  the  Apulia,  and  am  gradually  extend- 
ing my  sway  over  the  disaffected  in  the  other 
provinces  of  Naples.  Wait  till  my  plans  are 
matured,  and  you  may  live  to  see  your  father, 
whom  they  call  a  brigand,  leading  an  army  that  . 
will  destroy  these  miserable,  corrupt  govern- 
ments of  Southern  Italy." 

Leone  had  risen  from  his  seat  in  the  excite- 
ment of  his  dreams  of  glory,  and  he  stood 
before  Silvio  the  embodiment  of  a  mediaeval 
soldier  of  fortune.  He  could  not  resist  the 
thought  of  what  a  superb  model  he  would 
make  at  that  moment  for  a  Guido  da  Romena 
or  a  Ghino  da  Tacco.  But  these  instinctive 
thoughts  of  the  artist  vanished  before  his  con- 
sciousness of  the  terrible  reality.  He  replied 
with  some  hesitation,  "  Father,  I  will  not  dis- 
cuss this  subject  with  you ;  but,  when  I  con- 
sider the  criminals  who  compose  your  bands,  I 


22O  LEONE. 

cannot  realize  that  you  expect  to  carry  out  such 
high  aspirations  with  such  wicked  tools." 

"  The  wise  man  uses  any  tool  that  will  accom- 
plish his  end :  when  that  is  done,  he  destroys 
such  as  become  useless  or  dangerous."  Just 
as  he  uttered  the  words,  a  slight  noise  was 
heard  outside  the  window,  as  if  some  one  or 
some  thing  touched  the  blinds.  Leone,  with 
the  quickness  habitual  with  such  men,  sprang 
instantly,  and  threw  it  open,  exclaiming,  "  Can 
•any  one  be  listening ! "  and  looked  out  suspi- 
ciously, with  his  hand  on  his  stiletto.  The  win- 
dow looked  upon  an  open  terrace  filled  with 
large  flowering  shrubs,  orange  and  mandarin 
trees  in  half-barrels.  The  night  was  very  dark, 
and  these  trees  and  flowers  threw  the  terrace 
into  deep  shadow.  Had  it  been  moonlight, 
Leone  might  have  perceived  two  men  stretched 
out  full  length  close  behind  the  nearest  shrubs, 
holding  their  breath,  so  as  not  to  be  discovered. 

Silvio,  not  supposing  that  any  one,  especially 
the  monks,  the  sole  occupants  of  the  convent, 
could  have  any  interest  or  curiosity  to  hear 
their  conversation,  re-assured  him. 

"  There  is  no  fear  of  that,  dear  father :  the 


LEONE'S  AMBITION.  221 

monks  are  mostly  in  bed,  and  that  terrace  is 
sixteen  feet  above  the  ground.  It  must  have 
been  some  bat  or  other  night-bird  that  flew 
against  the  blinds,  attracted  by  the  light 
within." 

Leone  closed  the  blinds  carefully,  and  re- 
turned to  his  chair.  The  two  men,  as  soon  as 
the  blinds  were  closed,  stealthily  arose,  and 
with  noiseless  steps  approached  the  window. 
It  was  only  a  man's  height  above  the  terrace ; 
and,  placing  their  fingers  on  their  lips  in  token 
of  silence,  they  stood  listening  again,  as  they 
had  been  before.  These  two  men  were  Pie- 
traccio  and  Maso,  who  had  been  left  in  the 
esplanade  below  to  await  Leone's  orders ;  but 
they  had  climbed  the  walls  of  the  convent,  and 
now  stood  on  the  terrace  under  the  window 
of  Silvio's  cell,  playing  the  spy  upon  their 
leader. 

Leone  resumed  the  conversation.  "Those 
men  whom  you  saw,  and  the  several  bands  with 
their  leaders  in  the  Campania  and  Apulia,  all 
under  my  orders,  are  merely  my  visible  tools ; 
but  the  secret  ones  I  count  by  the  thousand. 
Do  you  suppose  I  could  go  about  so  freely,  and 


222  LEONE. 

enter  Rome  so  openly,  if  it  were  not  the  inter- 
est of  hundreds  to  protect  me  ?  I  pension 
more  people  than  the  Papal  Government.  I 
am  a  leader  in  the  secret  societies.  I  was  a 
Carbonaro,  and  condemned  to  the  galleys  for 
it,  like  Pellico  and  Maroncelli,  and  the  best 
patriots  of  Italy.  What  have  I  not  suffered 
and  lost?  My  liberty  —  my  property  confis- 
cated—  my" — Here  he  suddenly  stopped,  put 
his  hand  to  his  head,  then  brushing  back  his 
hair,  as  if  to  dispel  painful  recollections,  he 
added,  "Ah!  you  can  never  know,  never  con- 
ceive, how  much  I  have  suffered.  But  I  have 
never  ranged  myself  against  society,  only 
against  those  who  wronged  me,  and  the  gov- 
ernment which  despoiled  me.  And  now  a 
movement  is  at  hand,  and  I  am  among  its  lead- 
ers. In  one  week  I  can.  raise  five  thousand 
armed  men  who  will  follow  me  to  the  death  :  so 
can  the  others ;  and,  when  we  have  annihilated 
these  wretched  governments,  you  will  no  longer 
be  ashamed  of  your  father."  His  voice  deep- 
ened impressively  as  he  said  these  last  words  ; 
but  Silvio,  far  from  feeling  the  sanguine  ex- 
ultation of  Leone,  replied  sadly, — 


LEONE'S  AMBITION.  22  3 

"  You  may  be  successful,  father ;  but  that 
will  not  bring  back  to  me  the  woman  I  have 
lost." 

"  Lost ! "  cried  Leone  haughtily.  "  Lost ! 
Why?" 

"  I  told  you.  We  have  broken  our  engage- 
ment, and  she  and  her  father  are  leaving  Italy 
not  to  return." 

Leone  looked  thoughtful  at  this,  and,  turn- 
ing from  the  exciting  subject  of  his  own  plans, 
said,  — 

"Not  to  return?  H'm !  Have  they  left 
Italy  yet?" 

"  Valeric  wrote  to  me  that  they  were  on  the 
eve  of  departure." 

"  I  am  sorry  that  you  did  not  try  to  keep 
them  here.  I  might  have  persuaded  the  father: 
for  the  young  lady  loves  you  ;  and,  when  women 
love,  they  do  not  regard  such  matters  as  their 
parents  do.  I  have  deposited  half  a  million 
francs  in  the  French  Rentes  in  your  name, 
and  I  thought  that  might  have  mollified  him. 
I  will  go  to  Rome  at  once,  and  see  him." 

"  Father,  do  not,  for  God's  sake  !  "  implored 
Silvio,  distracted  at  the  idea.  "  Edith  was  not 


224  LEONE. 

influenced  by  her  father :  she  decided  for  her- 
self, and  I  approved  her  decision.  Moreover, 
though  I  can  not  and  will  not  repudiate  my  rela- 
tionship to  you,  —  for  I  feel  that  I  owe  you  my 
life  and  all  that  I  am,  = —  your  money  I  can  and 
will  refuse.  Never  again  will  I  touch  a  penny 
of  it." 

"  Why  not  ?  Because  it  is  stolen,  as  the 
vulgar  would  call  it  ?  Did  not  the  government 
steal  mine,  and  call  it  confiscation?  I  have 
only  retaliated ;  and  what  I  give  you  is  only 
what  would  have  belonged  to  you  by  natural 
right,  if  I  had  not  been  wronged  and  betrayed 
and  despoiled  of  my  own." 

"  Father,  I  have  fully  resolved  to  do  nothing 
further  in  this  matter.  I  love  Edith  too  well 
to  make  her  my  wife  under  the  existing  circum- 
stances." 

"  Hush,  hush,  boy !  "  expostulated  Leone. 
"Do  not  speak  so.  You  love  her,  and  she 
loves  you:  you  are  just  suited  to  each  other, 
and  you  shall  be  united.  Do  you  suppose  I 
have  not  my  dreams  of  happiness  ?  When  I 
have  accomplished  my  aim,  and  abandoned  this 
life,  —  which  I  did  not  choose,  but  was  forced 


LEONE'S  AMBITION.  22$ 

into  by  the  treachery  of  others, — do  you  not 
think  that  I  want  to  have  some  one  to  love  me, 
and  cheer  my  old  age  ?  And  who  but  my  son  ? 
My  dream  is  to  see  him  rich,  happy,  and  good ; 
to  see  him  in  a  pleasant  home  on  the  coast  of 
Sorrento  or  Amalfi,  and  to  dance  on  my  knees 
the  children  of  him  whom  I  have  loved  so 
much,  and  for  whom  there  is  no  sacrifice  I 
would  not  make.  The  time  will  come  —  in- 
deed, it  is  close  at  hand  —  when  I  can  wash 
away  the  stain  that  now  darkens  my  name  by 
regenerating  our  country;  and  then  you  will 
not  be  ashamed  of  your  father." 

Leone's  voice  quivered  as  he  spoke.  There 
was  something  so  touching  in  his  expression, 
that  Silvio  stood  spell-bound,  amazed  at  such  a 
confession  of  tender  feeling  from  this  formida- 
ble man.  He  thought  it  an  opportune  moment, 
while  he  was  in  this  softened  mood,  to  intro- 
duce the  subject  of  his  earnest  wish,  and  said 
in  an  entreating  tone,  — 

"  You  mean,  then,  to  abandon  your  present 
life  ? " 

"  Yes,  when  the  time  comes,  and  my  aim  is 
accomplished."  Again  a  slight  noise  on  the 


226  LEONE. 

blinds,  as  before,  but  not  so  loud,  caught  his 
ear.  He  glanced  toward  the  window,  but  paid 
no  further  attention  to  it,  and  went  on  speak- 
ing. "I  will  leave  you  now ;  for  it  is  already 
late,  and  I  must  go  to  Rome.  To-morrow  I 
will  see  Mr.  Norman ;  and  he  must  consent  to 
this  marriage,  or,  at  least,  defer  his  departure 
until  I  have  matured  my  plans  "  — 

"Father!"  pleaded  Silvio.  "Do  not,  I 
entreat.  This  marriage  is  impossible  now. 
Abandon  the  life  you  lead :  that  is  my  only 
desire." 

"  No :  you  love  Edith.  She  was  betrothed 
to  you  :  she  shall  be  your  wife.  I  promise  you 
that,  and  I  have  never  promised  in  vain.  Leave 
it  to  me.  I  have  accomplished  more  difficult 
matters  than  that.  Leave  it  to  me,  and  you 
shall  be  happy." 

Accustomed  to  command,  Leone  spoke  so 
decidedly,  that  Silvio,  naturally  gentle  and 
yielding,  dared  not  insist :  in  fact,  he  saw  that 
any  attempt  to  dissuade  him  would  be  useless. 
They  returned  to  Father  Francesco's  cell.  The 
venerable  monk  also  tried  to  persuade  him  to 
abandon  his  plan,  but  in  vain.  Leone  left  the 


LEONE'S  AMBITION.  22? 

convent  hastily,  as  if  to  escape  their  entreaties, 
'and  be  off  at  once  upon  his  undertaking,  re- 
peating to  Silvio,  while  tenderly  embracing 
him,  his  parting  promise,  "She  shall  be  your 
wife." 


When  Leone  and  Silvio  left  the  room  to  go 
to  Father  Francesco's  cell,  Pietraccio  and  Maso, 
who  had  stood  under  the  window  listening  to 
their  conversation,  made  a  sign  to  each  other 
to  quit  the  place,  knowing  that  their  chief 
would  soon  leave  the  convent.  They  crept 
stealthily  to  the  end  of  the  terrace,  over  which 
hung  the  branches  of  a  superb  elm-tree  that 
rose  from  the  esplanade  below,  and  noiselessly 
let  themselves  down  by  it,  and  returned  to  the 
square  in  front  of  the  convent,  where  Leone 
would  expect  to  find  them  waiting. 

"  Now,  what  do  you  think  of  that  ? "  began 
Maso  with  his  habitual  sneer.  "Was  I  not 
right  when  I  said  that  our  chief  meant  to  be 
tray  us  ?  You  heard  him  say  yourself,  if  your 
ears  were  long  enough,  that  he  meant  to  aban- 
don the  life  of  a  brigand." 


228  LEONE. 

"  Abandon  the  life  does  not  mean  to  betray 
us.  He  spoke  of  some  plan  that  he  has  for 
upsetting  this  government.  If  that  is  success- 
ful, we  need  no  longer  fear  the  gallows,  but 
may  all  return  to  a  peaceful  life." 

"  Pooh  !  Nonsense  !  Do  you  suppose  he  is 
able  to  accomplish  that?  I  say  he  means  to 
betray  us,  and  retire  with  the  money  he  has 
accumulated." 

"  Maso ! "  interrupted  Pietraccio  angrily. 
Like  a  faithful  mastiff,  having  followed  his 
leader  for  so  many  years,  he  was  unwilling  to 
suspect  him  of  treachery.  "I  tell  you,  I  will 
not  suspect  our  captain,  until  I  have  positive 
proofs  of  treachery ;  then  I  shall  know  how  to 
act ; "  and  he  touched  his  stiletto  significantly. 
"Till  then,  I  will  be  faithful  to  him.  Did  he 
not  divide  our  last  capture  equally,  when,  by 
betraying  us,  he  could  have  kept  the  whole  ? 
Did  you  not  get  your  three  thousand  scttdi,  like 
the  rest  ?  Didn't  I  give  mine  to  my  old  father, 
to  pay  off  the  mortgage  on  his  farm  ?  Don't 
you  suppose  that  I  would  like  to  go  back  there, 
and  live  quietly,  with  Clelia,  if  this  government 
was  overturned,  and  a  general  amnesty  for  past 


LEONE'S  AMBITION.  22Q 

crimes  given,  as  it  was  after  the  revolution  of 
'48  ?  I  will  not  hear  another  word  about  it. 
Hush  !  Here  he  comes." 

He  went  up  to  meet  Leone,  whom  he  saw 
coming  out  of  the  convent ;  and  they  stood  for 
some  time  speaking,  Leone  giving  some  special 
orders  in  a  low  tone,  which  Maso,  who  stood  at 
a  respectful  distance,  could  not  hear.  He  ru- 
minated moodily,  "  What  a  confounded  ass  that 
Pietraccio  is !  Here  he  has  a  good  chance  to 
become  chief  of  the  band,  and  he  will  not  use 
it.  I  thought  I  had  convinced  him,  and  that 
he  was  all  ready  to  give  the  captain  four  inches 
of  stiletto  under  his  ribs ;  and  there  would 
have  been  an  end  of  it.  He  would  have  become 
chief ;  and  I  would  have  led  him  by  the  nose, 
like  a  tame  bull.  But  it  is  of  no  use:  he  has 
no  ambition.  The  highest  place  he  will  ever 
get  will  be  the  gallows.  So  much  the  worse 
for  him.  I  would  try  it  on  my  own  account, 
but  the  other  fellows  will  not  trust  me.  They 
are  willing  enough  to  win  my  money,  when  I 
can't  cheat  them,  but  as  to  electing  me  their 
chief — Bah!  They  fear  I  know  law  enough 
to  get  them  all  hanged,  and  save  my  own  skin. 


230  LEONE. 

Uff !  Bad  luck  to  them  all !  What  a  good 
time  I  should  have  if  I  were  the  chief ! "  At 
this  thought,  his  face  assumed  a  Mephistophe- 
lian  expression,  repulsive  to  look  at. 

He  was  interrupted  by  Leone,  who  called 
him,  and  ordered  him  to  get  two  horses  at 
once,  from  their  usual  hostelry,  and  start  with 
him  for  Rome.  He  obeyed,  grumbling,  "A 
sleepless  night  again,  I  see ;  and  with  no  good 
object  either,  for  we  never  get  any  money  in 
Rome.  Who  are  we  going  to  capture  there  ? 
The  Pope?" 

A  short  time  after,  Leone,  followed  by  Maso, 
left  Sonnino  on  horseback,  taking  the  winding 
road  by  the  convent.  As  they  passed  it,  Leone 
looked  up,  and  saw  a  light  in  the  window  he 
knew  to  be  Silvio's.  He  kissed  his  hand  to- 
wards it,  and  spurred  his  horse  at  a  fast  trot 
towards  Rome. 

Pietraccio,  having  received  his  orders,  turned 
back  to  the  mountain.  Agile  as  a  goatherd,  in 
an  hour  he  was  in  the  cave  of  the  Castellaccio. 
He  roused  up  the  inmates,  and  taking  two  of 
the  women,  Marcia  and  Clelia,  they  started  on 
some  unknown  expedition.  They  were  so  fa- 


LEONE'S  AMBITION.  231 

miliar  with  the  different  mountain  paths,  that 
they  descended  as  •  easily  as  in  daylight ;  and 
before  midnight  they  were  on  the  Campania, 
going  towards  Rome,  Avoiding  the  public 
roads,  they  went  along  the  cattle-paths,  till 
they  reached  a  farmhouse,  or,  rather,  a  cattle- 
ranch,  some  fifteen  miles  from  the  city.  Here 
they  were  received  as  old  friends  ;  and  the  men 
were  distributed  among  the  numerous  hay-lofts, 
to  rest  and  sleep,  while  the  two  women,  escorted 
by  a  couple  of  the  band,  mounted  horses,  carry- 
ing fodder,  and  started  for  Rome,  reaching  the 
outskirts  about  dawn,  when  they  put  up  at  one 
of  the  innumerable  hostelries  for  country  peo- 
ple and  their  horses,  where  we  will  leave  them 
for  the  present. 


232  LEONE. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

PREPARATIONS  FOR  DEPARTURE. 

TT  was  one  of  those  beautiful  fall  days  that 
•*•  seem  like  a  continuation  of  summer.  A 
slight  mist,  rising  from  the  Tiber,  hung  over 
the  city,  but  was  gradually  absorbed  by  the 
rising  sun,  whose  rays  —  reflected,  first,  by  the 
lofty  dome  of  St.  Peter's,  which  it  illuminated 
till  it  seemed  like  a  rival  sun,  and  then  by  the 
many  windows  lower  down — were  like  so  many 
glittering  lances,  piercing  and  scattering  the 
vapor.  The  early  risers  were  bestirring  them- 
selves about  the  streets,  opening  shops  and 
caf/s,  sweeping  sidewalks,  and  preparing  for 
the  labors  of  the  day.  The  church-bells  rang 
out  merrily  the  morning  Angelus,  as  if  rejoi- 
cing at  the  new  morn,  though  few  answered 
the  call ;  for,  with  the  exception  of  the  officiat- 
ing priest  and  an  acolyte  or  two,  the  churches 
were  absolutely  empty.  Even  the  sextons, 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  DEPARTURE.        233 

chilled  by  sweeping  the  marble  pavements, 
stood  on  the  outer  steps,  broom  in  hand,  gos- 
siping with  the  beggars,  and  enjoying  the 
warmth  of  the  sun  of  Italy. 

Mr.  Norman  had  risen  early :  it  was  the  last 
day  they  were  to  spend  in  Rome.  He  had 
many  things  to  attend  to,  —  accounts  to  settle, 
trunks  to  have  packed,  packages  and  boxes  to 
be  shipped,  and  various  matters  incidental  to 
the  breaking-up  of  a  three-years'  residence  in 
the  city.  Much  had  been  done  in  the  few  days 
since  their  return  from  the  eventful  trip  to 
Sonnino  ;  but  still,  many  little  details  were  ne- 
cessarily left  for  the  last  day.  Edith  had  not 
yet  made  her  appearance  ;  and  Mr.  Norman, 
anxious  not  to  disturb  the  rest  she  so  much 
needed,  refrained  from  bustling  about,  collect- 
ing the  many  little  articles  that  were  to  be 
taken  with  them,  and  sat  down  quietly  to  read 
the  last  "Galignani,"  which  had  just  arrived. 

He  had  glanced  over  one  or  two  articles, 
when  his  eyes  were  attracted  by  the  heading, 
"Our  Roman  Correspondence.  A  most  bold 
and  successful  robbery  committed  against  the 
Papal  Government  by  a  band  of  brigands,  head- 


234  'LEONE. 

ed  by  the  famous  chief,  Leone  !  "  He  hurriedly 
read  the  details,  as  follows:  "On  the  I3th  in- 
stant" ("Why,  that  was  just  three  days  after 
we  were  at  Sonnino,  in  his  power ! ")  "  a  de- 
tail of  mounted  gens-d'armes,  some  thirty-five 
strong,  commanded  by  an  officer,  were  escort- 
ing a  government-wagon,  carrying  several  iron 
chests  containing  two  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars, destined  for  the  Papal  Treasury,  proceeds 
of  the  taxes  from  the  province  of  Ravenna, 
They  were  waylaid  in  the  Apennine  passes  by 
an  overwhelming  force  of  brigands ;  and  after 
a  sharp  encounter,  in  which  several  soldiers 
were  killed  and  wounded,  and  the  rest  put  to 
flight,  the  chests  were  broken  open,  and  the 
treasure  abstracted.  By  the  accounts,  the  bri- 
gands must  have  numbered  over  fifty,  and  were 
led  by  Leone  in  person.  The  Papal  Govern- 
ment has  set  a  large  price  on  the  head  of 
Leone,  and  a  smaller  one  on  that  of  any  mem- 
ber of  his  band." 

"  Bless  me  !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Norman.  "  To 
think  that  only  eight  days  ago  we  were  in  the 
power  of  that  man,  and  poor  Edith  engaged  to 
his  son !  I  see  now  why  he  did  not  care  for 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  DEPARTURE.        235 

any  ransom  from  us.  What  could  he  have  got 
out  of  me  ?  Ten  to  twenty  thousand  dollars 
at  the  most.  He  goes  for  higher  stakes.  Two 
hundred  thousand  dollars !  That  is  a  pretty 
good  haul.  Why  didn't  I  hear  of  this  bold 
robbery  before  ?  I  have  read  the  Roman 
papers,  and  there  was  no  word  of  it.  It  is  just 
like  them.  The  censor  of  the  press  would  not 
like  to  circulate  news  which  redounds  so  to  the 
disgrace  of  the  government.  It  does  not  sound 
very  well,  that  brigands  could  waylay  a  govern- 
ment transport,  escorted  by  mounted  troops, 
and  put  them  to  flight :  so  they  suppress  it  in 
the  local  papers,  and  we  get  the  information 
only  from  outside."  He  heard  Edith's  step 
approaching ;  so  he  hastily  tore  the  paper  to 
pieces,  and  threw  it  into  the  waste-basket, 
thinking,  "  It  is  better  that  she  should  not  hear 
of  this.  Poor  girl !  How  much  she  has  suf- 
fered ! " 

Edith  came  into  the  room,  and  ran  to  give 
her  father  her  morning  kiss,  which  he  tenderly 
returned.  These  two  people,  who  had  through 
life  treated  each  other  rather  with  the  friendly 
familiarity  of  affectionate  comrades,  repressing 


236  LEONE. 

all  show  of  sentiment  as  an  affectation  un- 
worthy of  sensible  people,  had  now,  after  the 
sad  experience  of  the  past  month,  felt  a  new 
bond  of  sympathy  hitherto  unawakened.  Mr. 
Norman's  whole  manner  was  altered.  He  had 
no  heart  for  the  banter  in  which  he  formerly 
delighted,  but  watched  over  Edith  with  the  ten- 
derness of  a  lover,  to  soothe  her,  and  gratify 
her  lightest  wish,  with  a  sweet,  gentle  grace 
of  which  no  one  would  have  thought  him  capa- 
ble. A  change  had  also  come  over  Edith ; 
though  she  used  her  utmost  efforts  not  to  let 
it  appear,  but  tried  to  seem  as  bright  and  light- 
hearted  as  before.  She  had  lost  much  of  her 
interest  in  painting,  but  persisted  in  working 
even  more  than  usual,  so  as  to  occupy  her 
mind.  Valerio  had  come  every  day ;  and  she 
painted  under  his  direction,  never  alluding  to 
what  had  passed,  except  once,  when  she  asked 
if  Silvio  was  well,  and  Valerio  replied  that  he 
was.  Valerio  had  assisted  them,  also,  in  their 
preparations  for  leaving  Rome,  often  saying  to 
himself,  "  What  a  pity  !  What  a  pity  !  I  have 
lost  my  brightest  and  best  pupil.  Why  on 
earth  could  she  not  have  fallen  in  love  with  me  ? " 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  DEPARTURE. 

Edith  had  quietly  gone  through  with  her 
packing,  expressing  no  regrets  or  hesitation,  at 
leaving  Italy,  in  the  presence  of  her  father; 
still  her  heart  ached  within  her :  for  she  loved 
Rome  with  the  love  ot  an  artist,  and  she  loved 
Silvio ;  and  to  depart,  and  sever  all  connection 
with  these,  the  happiest  associations  of  her 
life  both  as  artist  and  woman,  was  more  than 
she  could  have  borne  without  the  tender,  sus- 
taining love  of  her  father,  who  watched  and 
adapted  himself  to  her  moods  with  the  insight 
born  of  his  devoted  parental  affection. 

It  had  been  arranged  that  she  should  go  out 
to  the  Pincio  that  morning  with  Valerio  for  the 
last  time,  at  an  hour  when  very  few  would  be 
there,  in  order  to  give  the  finishing  touches  to 
her  sketch,  while  Mr.  Norman  would  remain  at 
home  to  make  the  final  arrangements  for  their 
departure.  Accordingly,  soon  after  breakfast, 
Valerio  appeared ;  and,  followed  by  the  maid, 
who  carried  her  painting  apparatus,  they  set 
out  for  the  Pincio. 

Mr.  Norman  remained  alone.  He  went  out 
on  to  the  balcony,  and  watched  Edith,  walking 
quickly  but  silently  beside  Valerio,  until  they 


238  LEONE. 

turned  the  corner,  repeating  sadly  to  himself, 
"  Poor  child  !  How  bravely  she  bears  it !  Poor 
child  !  "  Returning  to  the  room,  he  called  the 
servants,  who  were  almost  in  tears  at  the 
thought  of  losing  such  a  good  master,  and  be- 
gan directing  and  helping  the  packing.  Clear- 
ing out  the  drawers  of  the  writing-table  in  his 
sitting-room,  he  came  across  a  mahogany  case 
containing  a  superb,  silver-mounted  Colt's  re- 
volver. He  took  it  out,  and,  noticing  that  it 
was  loaded,  he  thought,  "Ah  !  if  I  had  only  had 
this  with  me,  the  scoundrels  would  not  have  got 
us  so  easily.  But  then,  what  would  have  been 
the  consequence  ?  I  might  have  killed  two  or 
three ;  but  what  would  have  become  of  Edith 
if  I  had  resisted  ?  After  all,  perhaps  it  was  for 
the  best."  He  stood  musing,  looking  at  it,  and 
thinking  what  a  change  from  the  clumsy  fire- 
arm of  fifty  years  back,  with  its  long,  black 
barrel,  wide  muzzle,  ramrod,  huge  flint  lock, 
and  brass-bound  stock,  was  this  dainty  toy  in 
its  velvet  case,  silver-mounted,  polished,  and 
sparkling  like  a  jewel. 

While  thus  absorbed,  a  servant  entered,  say- 
ing that  a  gentleman  wished  to  speak  to  him. 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  DEPARTURE.       239 

Mr.  Norman,  supposing  that  it  was  some  one 
connected  with  the  packing  and  forwarding  of 
his  effects,  turned,  and  saw  in  the  doorway  the 
bold,  manly  figure  of  Leone. 

Amazed  at  the  sight,  and  at  the  daring  of 
the  man  upon  whose  head  a  price  had  just  been 
set,  he  involuntarily  rested  his  hand  on  the 
revolver,  though  without  the  least  idea  of  using 
it.  Leone,  observing  the  action,  quickly  though 
quietly  put  his  hand  in  his  breast,  saying,  "  Mr. 
Norman,  do  you  receive  me  as  an  enemy  ? 
Beware  !  Before  you  can  raise  that  pistol,  you 
are  a  dead  man." 

"  Leone,"  replied  Mr.  Norman,  removing  his 
hand,  "  I  had  no  such  intention,  I  assure  you. 
It  was  only  by  accident  that  the  case  was  here. 
But  I  must  say,  I  am  very  much  surprised  to 
see  you  in  Rome.  I  do  not  see  how  you  dare 
run  such  a  risk.  Nor  do  I  understand  what 
further  business  you  can  have  with  me." 

"  Hush  !  hush  !  "  whispered  Leone,  looking 
cautiously  round,  that  no  servant  might  hear 
their  conversation.  Then,  without  asking  per- 
mission, he  carefully  closed  the  door,  and,  walk- 
ing up  to  Mr.  Norman,  extended  his  hand  in 


240  LEONE. 

friendly  greeting,  saying,  "  Mr.  Norman,  I  have 
come  to  Rome  on  purpose  to  have  a  conversa- 
tion with  you  on  a  matter  which  concerns  the 
happiness  of  two  young  people  whom  we  dearly 
love.  I  have  been  waiting  in  the  cafe  opposite 
for  an  opportunity  to  meet  you  alone.  I  saw 
your  daughter  and  Valeric  going  out,  and 
decided  to  come  and  see  you  here.  Now, 
please  to  sit  down,  and  I  will  explain  the  object 
of  my  visit." 

In  his  long  life  as  leader  of  outlaws,  whom 
he  had  to  subdue  into  obedience  by  both  moral 
and  physical  force,  Leone  had  acquired  an 
absolute  air  of  command  that  he  could  not  lay 
wholly  aside,  even  when  his  intentions  were 
most  friendly.  Mr.  Norman  felt  somewhat 
ruffled  by  his  imperious  manner;  but  at  the 
same  time  there  was  something  so  irresistibly 
manly  in  the  outlaw's  bearing,  that,  in  spite 
of  his  inward  repugnance,  he  could  not  but 
shake  hands,  and  sit  down  to  listen  to  what  he 
had  to  say. 

"Mr.  Norman,  I  understand,  that,  on  the 
unexpected  discovery  of  the  relationship  be- 
tween Silvio  and  myself,  you  broke  off  your 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  DEPARTURE.        24! 

daughter's  engagement,  and  are  on  the  point  of 
leaving  Rome." 

"  That  is  so :  only  I  did  not  break  it  off ;  it 
was  my  daughter  herself,  of  her  own  free  will." 

"  Oh,  yes !  we  understand  that,"  said  Leone 
quickly  with  a  slight  smile.  "The  daughter 
breaks  the  engagement,  but  by  the  father's 
peremptory  orders." 

"  No,  Leone :  you  are  mistaken.  That  may 
be  the  case  in  Italy,  but  not  with  us.  My 
daughter  did  break  off  her  engagement  with 
Silvio  by  her  own  free  act,  though  with  my  full 
approval." 

"  Very  well ;  we  will  not  argue  about  that : 
but  this  engagement  must  not  be  broken.  Sil- 
vio loves  your  daughter ;  and,  from  what  I  Hear, 
she  fully  reciprocates  his  love.  Why  should 
these  two  people  be  unhappy  ? " 

Mr.  Norman  stared  in  astonishment  at  his 
formidable  interlocutor,  and  felt  indignant  at 
his  supreme  impertinence  and  total  moral 
unconsciousness.  That  the  man  whose  crimi- 
nal life  was  the  cause  of  all  this  misery  should 
ask  him  calmly  why  these  young  people  should 
be  unhappy,  was  more  than  he  could  stand. 


242  LEONE. 

He  had  resolved  to  treat  him  civilly  while  in 
his  house ;  but  at  this  question  he  could  not 
resist  replying,  — 

"  You  seem  to  forget  who  you  are,  and  that 
you  alone  are  responsible  for  it."  He  had 
hardly  uttered  the  words  before  he  regretted 
them,  wishing  that  he  had  not  alluded  so 
directly  to  Leone's  criminal  life ;  but  much  to 
his  surprise,  instead  of  the  explosion  which  he 
half  expected,  Leone  took  it  very  quietly,  and, 
with  a  saddened  expression  clouding  his  face, 
replied,  — 

"  You  are  right :  I  do  forget ;  or,  rather,  I  see 
it  in  a  very  different  light  from  you.  However, 
we  will  say  no  more  about  that.  If  I  am  the 
only  obstacle  in  the  way,  it  is  easily  removed. 
Nobody  knows  of  my  relationship  to  Silvio  ex- 
cept a  few  who  have  no  interest  in  revealing  it. 
I  have  no  legal  claims  over  him,  for  I  renounced 
them  in  favor  of  Father  Francesco.  Let  Silvio 
marry  your  daughter,  as  first  arranged,  by  the 
name  of  Di  Montalba,  granted  to  him  by  the 
Pope's  dispensation.  Leave  Rome,  if  you  think 
best,  and  live  in  Naples,  or  even  out  of  Italy. 
I  promise  never  to  interfere  or  come  near  you, 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  DEPARTURE.        243 

or  at  least  until  I  have  so  redeemed  my  name, 
that  you  will  no  longer  be  ashamed  of  me.  I 
shall  be  satisfied,  if  Silvio  is  happy.  And  he 
is  not  a  beggar,"  he  added,  as  if  he  were  bring- 
ing forward  his  strongest  argument ;  "  for 
besides  his  profession,  in  which  he  is  eminent, 
I  have  deposited  a  million  francs  in  his  name, 
in  the  French  Government  bonds,  where  no 
one  can  disturb  them." 

Mr.  Norman  had  listened  with  interest  to 
Leone's  appeal  for  his  son's  happiness ;  and  a 
relenting  of  pity  towards  the  man  was  slowly 
rising  in  his  benevolent  heart,  at  the  sight  of 
such  a  notorious  criminal  actually  pleading  for 
sympathy.  But  when  he  mentioned  the  money 
which  he  had  secured  to  Silvio,  and  that  money 
the  proceeds  of  robberies,  one  of  which  he  had 
committed  within  that  very  week,  all  his  honest, 
manly  nature  asserted  itself,  and  he  indignantly 
exclaimed,  — 

"  No,  sir !  Neither  my  daughter  nor  I  will 
ever  consent  to  a  marriage  with  the  son  of  a 
man  who  actually  boasts  of  the  money  he  has 
settled  on  him,  knowing  where  that  money 
came  from.  No  !  Let  us  end  this  conversation, 


242  LEONE. 

He  had  resolvfesuit  in  any  thing  good.  I  have 
his  house :  reading,  this  very  morning,  where 
resjftUZ"  this  money  "  — 

Mr.  Norman  hesitated,  unwilling,  under  any 
provocation,  to  insult  a  man  in  his  own  house, 
and  hastily  fumbled  in  the  waste-basket  for  the 
torn  pieces  of  the  "Galignani." 

"Don't  trouble  yourself,"  replied  Leone,  with- 
out manifesting  the  slightest  anger.  "  I  sup- 
pose you  read  of  my  exploit  of  last  week.  That 
was  a  very  good  enterprise,  and  very  skilfully 
carried  out.  They  have  reported  that  I  had 
an  overwhelming  force,  and  that  the  troops 
opposed  an  heroic  resistance ;  that,  after  the 
loss  of  seven  or  eight  of  their  number,  they 
were  obliged  to  abandon  the  treasure,  or  they 
would  all  have  been  massacred.  I  suppose 
it  reads  very  well  in  the  newspaper,  doesn't 
it?.  Ha!  ha!"  he  continued  with  a  most  con- 
temptuous laugh.  "  Resistance  !  Overwhelming 
numbers  !  Killed  and  wounded  !  Judge  !  I  had 
but  twenty-five  men  with  me.  There  was  a 
great  deal  of  shooting,  and  balls  hissed  about 
pretty  briskly,  and  several  men  fell ;  but  no 
one  will  ever  find  their  bodies,  for  by  this  time 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  DEPARTURE.        245 

they  are  on  their  way  abroad,  possibly  to  your 
country,  with  their  pockets  lined  with  a  few 
thousand  dollars,  and  released  from  this  con- 
temptible Papal  service.  Bah  !  You  know  very 
little  about  this  country :  how  should  you  ? 
And  as  to  my  settling  large  amounts  on  Silvio, 
why  should  I  not  ?  Did  they  not  treacherously 
accuse  me  of  conspiring  against  the  govern- 
ment ?  Was  I  not  condemned  to  the  galleys 
as  a  Carbonaro  ?  Did  they  not  confiscate  my 
property  ?  What  I  have  settled  on  Silvio  is  no 
more  than  he  would  by  rights  have  inherited, 
had  they  not  robbed  me  of  it.  You,  I  have  no 
doubt,  call  me  brigand,  outlaw,  robber.  I  call 
myself  an  avenger.  I  simply  retaliate.  The 
government  adopts  the  lex  talionis  with  me. 
I  pay  them  in  their  own  coin,  —  an  eye  for  an 
eye,  a  tooth  for  a  tooth." 

Mr.  Norman  listened  to  the  man  in  utter 
amazement.  What  he  stated,  if  true,  seemed 
to  him  almost  a  revelation.  Nevertheless  he 
felt  how  obtuse  must  be  the  moral  sense  which 
satisfied  itself  with  such  reasoning,  and  more 
than  ever  he  wished  to  get  away  from  a  coun- 
try breathing  such  a  perverted  moral  atmos- 


246  LEONE. 

phere.  At  the  same  time,  he  could  not  but 
confess  to  himself  that  he  felt  far  less  repug- 
nance to  the  man  than  ever  before. 

"Leone,"  he  began,  "what  you  say  may  be 
true  (to  the  shame  of  this  miserable  govern- 
ment be  it  said) ;  but  it  does  not  alter  my 
determination.  To-morrrow  I  leave  Rome,  and 
in  a  week  we  shall  be  out  of  Italy.  I  have  no 
ill  feeling  towards  you,  and  wish  you  no  harm. 
I  regret  only  that  circumstances  should  have 
brought  us  into  contact.  I  regret  it  more  for 
Silvio  and  my  daughter ;  but  my  decision  is 
irrevocable.  Now  let  us  end  this  conversation  : 
she  will  soon  be  here,  and  I  do  not  think  it 
well  that  she  should  meet  you.  Your  presence 
might  distress  her,  and  she  has  already  suffered 
enough." 

"  I  am  exceedingly  sorry  for  her,  and  would 
have  given  the  world  if  this  discovery  had  not 
happened  :  but  it  was  not  my  doing ;  it  was  an 
unfortunate  accident.  Let  me  make  one  more 
proposal  to  you.  Do  not  leave  Italy.  Wait  a 
few  months  longer,  a  year  perhaps;  and  by 
that  time  events  may  occur  in  which  I  shall 
take  such  a  part,  that  you  and  your  daughter 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  DEPARTURE.        247 

may  reconsider  your  resolution.  Do  not  act 
hastily,  for  you  may  repent  of  it." 

"  Leone,  our  minds  are  fully  made  up.  We 
cannot  repent  doing  what  is  right.  Let  us  end 
this."  He  rose  from  his  chair,  as  if  dismissing 
Leone  peremptorily.  Leone  also  rose,  his  fore- 
head contracting  as  if  with  the  effort  to  stifle 
fierce  thoughts  that  worked  in  his  mind,  his 
passionate  nature  resuming  its  wonted  impetu- 
osity. He  spoke  with  repressed  anger,  — 

"  Mr.  Norman,  you  seem  to  forget  to  whom 
you  are  speaking.  I  have  tried  persuasion,  but 
I  can  use  other  means.  Beware !  "  His  eyes 
flashed  with  a  threatening  gleam  :  but  it  exas- 
perated, rather  than  subdued,  Mr.  Norman, 
whose  upright  nature  revolted  at  such  a  tone 
assumed  by  a  criminal ;  and  he  answered  with 
spirit,  — 

"  Leone,  it  is  you  who  seem  to  forget  where 
you  are,  and  that  a  word  from  me  would  de- 
liver you  into  the  hands  of  justice,  or  of  those 
who  would  be  glad  to  earn  the  large  price  set 
on  your  head,  and  end  your  criminal  career.  I 
would  do  it  as  a  duty  which  I  owe  to  society, 
were  I  not  withheld  by  consideration  for  poor 


248  LEONE. 

Silvio.  Now  leave  me ;  and  thank  him  that 
you  are  allowed  to  go  free."  So  saying,  he 
marched  to  the  door,  and  opened  it,  with  an 
imperious  gesture  to  his  unwelcome  visitor. 

Leone's  face  darkened  with  anger,  and  he 
seemed  on  the  brink  of  some  violent  outburst ; 
but  he  suddenly  checked  himself,  as  if  unwilling 
to  fail  with  the  man  whom  he  wished  to  pro- 
pitiate for  Silvio's  sake,  and  spoke  with  forced 
calmness,  though  with  a  disdainful  smile, — 

"Mr.  Norman,  I  did  not  come  here  to  quar- 
rel with  you,  and  will  not,  whatever  provocation 
you  may  give.  As  to  your  threat,  it  only  shows 
your  ignorance  of  this  government.  Before 
you  could  raise  ten  gens-d'armes  to  arrest  me, 
I  could  summon  hundreds  to  my  rescue.  Your 
Papal  police  is  well  enough :  they  can  arrest 
the  liberals,  the  sellers  of  Protestant  Bibles, 
those  who  do  not  kneel  at  the  passage  of  the 
Pope,  even  the  city  pickpockets  perhaps,  but 
not  Leone  di  Montalba.  They  know  me  too 
well,  from  the  Governor  of  Rome  down  to  the 
lowest  patrolman." 

He  spoke  with  such  confidence,  and  at  the 
same  time  with  such  contempt,  that  it  staggered 
Mr.  Norman,  who  replied,  — 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  DEPARTURE.        249 

"  So  much  the  worse :  it  is  a  disgrace  to  this 
corrupt  government.  I  am  all  the  more  glad 
to  get  away  from  it  as  soon  as  possible." 

"You  had  better  not,  Mr.  Norman.  Listen 
to  my  request :  stay  just  a  few  months  longer." 

"  Not  a  single  day.  To-morrow  evening  we 
shall  be  in  Naples  ;  and  the  first  steamer  to 
Marseilles  will  take  us  away  forever  from  this 
miserable  country."  He  spoke  with  such  decis- 
ion, that  Leone  felt  it  to  be  useless  for  him  to 
insist  any  longer.  Still,  unable  to  realize,  with 
his  Italian  ideas,  that  Edith's  broken  engage- 
ment was  not  in  obedience  to  her  father's 
commands,  he  made  one  last  effort. 

"  Will  you  not  let  me  speak  to  your  daughter 
alone  ?  I  may  induce  her  to  alter  her  resolu- 
tion." 

"  Not  for  the  world  !  It  would  only  distress 
her,  without  affecting  her  decision  ;  and,  poor 
child  !  she  has  suffered  deeply.  I  beg  of  you, 
leave  me."  And  he  again  pointed  resolutely 
to  the  door. 

"  I  am  very  sorry,  but  still  more  sorry  for 
you,  Mr.  Norman,  for  you  will  repent  of  this. 
Good-by !  or,  rather,  a  rivederci  /  "  He  said 


250  LEONE. 

this  last  word  with   an   ominous,   threatening 
look,  and  hastily  left  the  house. 

Mr.  Norman  stood  looking  after  him,  noting 
the  noble  carriage  and  haughty  manner  of  the 
man  upon  whose  head  a  price  was  set,  and 
thought  to  himself,  "  He  is  a  brave  man  ;  and  I 
hate  to  quarrel  with  him,  but  it  couldn't  be 
helped.  As  to  his  threats  —  Bah  !  I  am  not 
afraid  of  him."  Still  that  significant  "a  rive- 
derci"  said  in  such  a  threatening  tone,  kept 
ringing  in  his  ears ;  and  he  resolved,  when 
Edith  came  back,  to  keep  her  in  the  house  for 
the  rest  of  the  day.  He  thought  for  a  moment 
to  ask  the  police,  through  the  American  consul, 
for  a  special  guard  during  the  night ;  but  then 
he  reflected  that  he  should  have  to  give  a  reason 
for  it,  and  it  might  be  a  source  of  detention,  if 
he  apprised  them  of  what  had  happened  with 
Leone's  band.  So,  on  the  whole,  he  decided 
not  to  say  any  thing  about  it,  especially  to 
Edith,  for  fear  of  alarming  her ;  for  he  thought, 
"Whatever  Leone  threatens,  what  can  he  do, 
here  in  the  heart  of  the  city  of  Rome  ?  and  to- 
morrow we  shall  be  on  the  way  to  Naples." 
Naples !  Little  did  Mr.  Norman  suspect  that 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  DEPARTURE.        25  I 

this  word,  which  had  escaped  him  in  the  heat 
of  conversation,  had  been  all-sufficient  to  deter- 
mine Leone's  future  plan  of  action,  and  lead  to 
that  threatened  meeting  again  which  he  con- 
sidered so  impossible,  and  which  yet  filled  him 
with  vague  uneasiness. 


252  LEONE. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE    ROMAN    MODELS. 

steps  of  the  Trinita  del  Monte,  on  the 
Piazza,  di  Spagna,  were  already  occupied, 
that  morning,  by  the  usual  groups  of  models, 
waiting  their  chances  to  be  called  by  some 
artist  for  a  sitting.  Among  them  might  be 
seen  the  usual  thin-haired  old  man  with  a  white 
beard,  for  a  St.  Joseph  ;  the  Pifferaro,  with  his 
bag-pipe  and  black-eyed,  sunburnt  boy,  in  his 
conical  hat  and  sheep-skin  jacket,  holding  a 
tambourine ;  the  contadina  spinning  wool ;  the 
mother  with  her  babe ;  two  model  brigands 
in  the  traditional  stage-costume,  but  with  the 
sneaking  faces  of  city  pickpockets  rather  than  of 
real  banditti.  Later  on,  a  new  group  appeared, 
unknown  to  the  habitues  of  the  place,  exciting 
their  curiosity  and  jealousy, — two  very  hand- 
some contadinas,  in  the  newest  and  most  pictur- 
esque of  Roman  dresses,  their  heads,  ears,  and 


THE  ROMAN  MODELS.  253 

necks  decorated  with  silver  and  gold  ornaments, 
and  strings  of  valuable  beads,  coral,  agate,  or 
filigree,  to  the  astonishment  of  the  ragged 
crew,  whose  ornaments  were  shams.  Their 
heavy  coils  of  black  hair  were  held  by  stilettos, 
whose  silver  handles  showed  beyond  their  white 
veils ;  but  a  close  examination  would  have  be- 
trayed that  the  blades  were  of  the  finest  steel, 
good  for  actual  use,  and  not  of  silvered  brass. 
Their  small  heads,  with  handsome,  sunburnt 
faces,  were  poised  on  powerful  white  necks  and 
broad  shoulders,  which  .were  well  set  off  by 
their  snow-white  chemisettes  and  red-velvet  bod- 
ices laced  with  gold.  Their  hands  were  large, 
but  soft  and  white,  as  of  people  not  used  to 
hard  work ;  and  their  muscular  arms  would 
have  been  a  match  for  any  athlete.  Two  con- 
tadini,  who  accompanied  them,  left  them  on 
the  steps,  saying  in  a  whisper,  "  Wait  here  till 
Maso  comes  with  orders,  while  we  go  back  to 
look  after  the  horses." 

These  two  women,  as  the  reader  has  already 
guessed,  were  Marcia  and  Clelia.  They  sat 
quietly  on  one  of  the  steps,  their  smiles  of 
content  displaying  their  beautiful  white  teeth, 


254  LEONE, 

as  if  delighted  to  be  in  the  city,  and  enjoyed  the 
novelty  and  variety  of  the  sights,  and  watched 
the  passers-by,  regardless  of  the  whispered 
comments  of  the  professional  models  around 
them.  "  Who  are  these  women  ?  "  —  "  We 
never  saw  them  before."  —  "New  models?" 
—  "  Business  is  poor  enough,  without  any  more 
added."  —  "Where  did  they  get  their  new 
clothes  ?"  —  "We  must  not  allow  them  to  take 
away  our  bread."  —  "We  have  been  here  for 
years,  and  want  no  new-comers."  —  "They  are 
very  handsome,  though."  —  "  Pooh  !  with  such 
sunburnt  faces  and  red  cheeks  !  "  —  "  They  are 
surely  painted."  They  sat  quite  undisturbed 
by  the  gossip  and  chatter  about  them,  which 
was  suddenly  arrested  by  the  sight  of  Edith 
and  Valerio,  followed  by  the  maid,  who  slowly 
descended  the  steps.  They  were  known  to  be 
artists ;  and,  as  they  drew  near,  the  models  threw 
themselves  into  the  poses  of  their  assumed  char- 
acters, in  the  hope  of  employment,  —  St.  Joseph, 
leaning  on  his  staff  with  a  very  sanctimonious 
air,  looked  at  the  child  in  the  contadina  's  arms  ; 
she,  in  her  turn,  bent  her  head  in  maternal 
fondness  over  her  infant ;  the  other  woman 


THE  ROMAN  MODELS.  255 

spun  her  wool ;  the  Pifferaro  blew  up  his  bag- 
pipe ;  the  boy  stood  up,  holding  his  tambourine ; 
above  all,  the  two  would-be  brigands,  in  their 
tawdry,  faded  feathers  and  finery,  red  velvet 
jackets,  and  huge  Roman  sashes,  loaded  with 
imitation  pistols  and  poniards,  assumed  such 
ferocious  looks,  and  threw  themselves  into 
such  attitudes  of  murderous  attack,  that  they 
attracted  the  attention  of  Marcia  and  Clelia, 
who,  struck  by  the  ludicrous  sight,  burst  into  a 
fit  of  laughter  that  quite  destroyed  the  artistic 
illusion  they  imagined  themselves  to  be  creat- 
ing. 

Edith  and  Valerio,  turning  at  the  sound,  to 
their  great  surprise  recognized  the  women  of 
the  brigands'  cave.  They,  recognizing  them  as 
quickly,  lifted  their  hands  in  astonishment, 
exclaiming,  "  Santa  Maria !  La  bella  signo- 
rina  !  "  ("  Holy  Mary  !  The  beautiful  young 
lady ! ") 

At  sight  of  them,  the  stirring  events  and 
unhappy  consequences  with  which  these  two 
women  were  associated  flashed  rapidly  through 
Edith's  mind  with  an  irresistible  sense  of  dread : 
but  as  quickly  the  memory  of  the  kindness  with 


256  LEONE. 

which  those  half-savage  creatures  had  treated 
her  softened  this  first  impression ;  and  she 
addressed  them  with  a  look  of  pity,  saying  in 
a  low  tone,  "  Marcia  !  Clelia  !  You  here  ?  How 
dare  you  venture  to  come  to  Rome  ?  " 

"Blessed  signorina,  we  follow  our  husbands 
when  they  tell  us  to,  and  do  what  they  order. 
It  is  for  them  to  look  out  for  us." 

"  What  splendid  models  they  would  make  !  " 
suggested  Valeric.  Then,  turning  to  them,  in 
his  usual  careless  way  he  asked,  "  And  how  are 
all  our  friends  on  the  mountains  ?  " 

The  women,  the  smiles  with  which  they  had 
greeted  Edith  suddenly  changing  to  fierce, 
threatening  frowns,  haughtily  replied,  "Ask  no 
questions,  young  man." 

Valerio  slunk  back,  utterly  subdued,  thinking 
to  himself,  "  I  declare,  these  are  true  descend- 
ants of  the  Lucretias  and  Cornelias  of  ancient 
Rome.  Oh !  if  they  were  only  as  civilized  as 
those  matrons  of  old,  the  noble  Roman  race 
would  be  reproduced  in  the  world." 

Edith  was  warned,  by  the  reproof  to  Valerio, 
that  they  did  not  wish  to  have  attention  drawn 
to  them,  and  was  about  to  bid  them  farewell, 


THE  ROMAN  MODELS. 

when,  in  the  generosity  of  her  nature  and  for- 
giving spirit  towards  all,  on  that  last  day  of  her 
happy  Roman  life,  so  unexpectedly  cut  short, 
she  approached  them,  and,  taking  out  her  silk 
purse,  with  many  gold  and  silver  pieces  in  it, 
said,  "  You  were  very  kind  to  me :  take  this, 
and  divide  it  among  you.  Keep  the  purse,  too, 
to  remember  me  by."  And,  before  they  had 
time  to  thank  her,  she  moved  quickly  down  the 
steps  with  tears  in  her  eyes.  Valerio  followed, 
ejaculating  to  himself,  "Queer  people,  these 
Americani,  but  generous,  very  generous." 

As  they  passed  on,  without  stopping  to  look 
at  the  groups  or  engage  any  of  them,  the 
models,  who  had  noticed  the  gift  of  the  purse, 
changed  their  assumed  looks  of  sanctity  or 
ferocity  to  real  malignity  and  hate.  Opprobri- 
ous epithets  and  insults  flew  like  arrows,  from 
every  man  and  woman  there  assembled,  against 
the  unknown  contadinas  who  had  thus  disturbed 
their  equanimity.  But  the  two  would-be  bri- 
gands especially,  whose  faces  were  yellow  with 
rage,  shook  their  fists  at  Marcia  and  Clelia, 
with  fearful  oaths  and  imprecations,  vociferat- 
ing, "  Who  the  devil  are  you  ?  Models  ?  Why 


258  LEONE. 

do  you  come  here  to  spoil  our  business,  and 
prevent  our  getting  some  job  ?  If  you  weren't 
women,  we  would  break  every  bone  in  your 
bodies." 

Marcia  and  Clelia  stared  at  them  at  first  with 
mirthful  curiosity,  and  laughed  the  louder  at 
their  wrath.  This  so  exasperated  them,  that 
they  grew  more  violent  than  before,  foaming 
with  rage,  and  exhausting  their  whole  vocabu- 
lary of  bad  words.  They  even  made  a  feint  of 
rising  up  to  rush  upon  them.  At  this  the 
mirth  of  the  women  suddenly  changed  to  pas- 
sion; and,  springing  like  tigresses  from  their 
'airs,  they  pounced  upon  their  assailants,  and, 
shaking  them  furiously,  cried,  "  Did  you  speak 
that  way  to  us  ?  " 

"  Yes,  to  you  !  "  they  replied  with  increasing 
rage,  trying  to  grapple  with  them ;  but  they 
were  as  helpless  as  children  in  the  grasp  of 
the  excited  women.  "  To  you  !  you  "  — 

They  had  no  time  to  finish  the  sentence  ;  for 
Marcia  and  Clelia,  with  an  herculean  effort  of 
their  powerful  arms,  lifted  the  unlucky  wretches 
bodily,  and,  with  a  twirl,  hurled  them  down  the 
steps,  then,  drawing  their  stilettos  from  their 


THE  ROMAN  MODELS. 

hair,  stood  undismayed,  ready,  like  their  ances- 
tral prototype  Sabina,  for  any  attack  that  the 
two  might  dare  to  attempt.  The  other  models, 
stupefied,  remained  crouching  on  their  seats, 
not  daring  to  interfere.  The  passers-by  in  the 
Piazza,  used  to  these  street-fights  among  the 
lower  classes,  asked,  "  What  is  it  ?  "  —  "  Con- 
trasto  di  parole"  ("A  question  of  words"), 
and  went  on  their  way.  The  Papal  police,  even 
if  they  happened  to  be  about,  never  interfered 
in  these  wordy  wars  among  the  common  people, 
and  usually  got  round  a  corner,  patiently  wait- 
ing until  some  one  was  killed  or  wounded, 
whom  they  charitably  carried,  when  the  fight 
was  over,  to  the  nearest  hospital.  Accordingly, 
our  people  were  left  to  settle  their  quarrels 
among  themselves. 

The  two  model  brigands  rolled  in  the  dust  at 
the  foot  of  the  steps,  their  hats  and  the  con- 
tents of  their  pockets  —  pipes,  tobacco,  a  few 
sous  —  scattered  about.  They  hastily  endeav- 
ored to  collect  these,  after  feeling  to  see  if  they 
had  any  broken  bones,  before  wreaking  their 
vengeance;  keeping  up,  meanwhile,  a  wrathful 
outpouring  of  oaths  and  imprecations,  that  drew 


260  LEONE. 

merely  a  contemptuous  smile  from  the  brave 
women,  who  still  stood,  prepared  for  an  attack, 
upon  the  steps  above. 

They  had  almost  recovered  their  scattered 
property,  but  were  still  groping  in  the  dust  close 
together,  when  a  strong  hand  was  laid  upon  a 
shoulder  of  each,  and  a  cynical  voice  asked  impe- 
riously, "  What  is  the  row  here  ? "  It  was  Maso, 
in  peasant  dress,  who  had  been  sent  to  join  the 
women,  and  wait  for  orders.  He  had  witnessed 
their  exploit,  as  he  entered  the  Piazza  from  the 
via  Condotti,  and  ran  to  the  rescue.  The  two 
beggars,  dusty  and  wrathful,  turned  like  bitten 
dogs  upon  the  new-comer,  and,  taking  him  for 
a  contadino,  replied  with  a  snarl,  "  Who  are 

you?     Their ?"  and  here  followed  another 

string  of  bad  names,  threats,  and  oaths  ;  and  all 
the  saints  in  the  calendar  were  called  upon  to 
witness  the  terrible  revenge  with  which  they 
meant  to  annihilate  the  two  daring  women,  and 
any  one  who  undertook  their  defence.  But 
their  vainboasting  was  brought  to  a  sudden 
stop :  a  tremendous  box  on  the  ear  made  one 
of  the  pseudo-brigands  kiss  the  dust  again, 
while  Maso  hissed  out  angrily,  — 


THE  ROMAN  MODELS.  26 1 

"  Beppo  Mortilla !  don't  you  know  who  you 
are  talking  to  ?  " 

The  words  struck  the  two  rascals  like  light- 
ning from  a  clear  sky.  Their  faces,  yellow 
with  rage,  turned  absolutely  livid  with  surprise 
and  terror.  They  rose  to  their  knees,  and, 
seizing  Maso's  hands,  kissed  them,  trembling 
and  crying  abjectly,  "Oh!  for  God's  sake,  for- 
give us !  forgive  us !  We  did  not  recognize 
you  :  we  did  not  know  that  they  belonged  to 
you.  We  will  kiss  your  feet.  We  will  kiss  the 
ground  under  their  feet.  We  will  ask  their 
forgiveness."  They  bent  down,  actually  to 
carry  out  their  offer ;  but  Maso,  jvith  sneering 
contempt  for  their  cowardice,  kicked  them 
away,  crying,  "  Get  up !  get  up !  you  yellow- 
livered  curs !  Here,  take  this,  and  get  some- 
thing to  eat,  and  some  good  wine,  to  put  some 
heart  into  you,  after  your  scare  ; "  and  he  hand- 
ed them  each  a  silver  crown.  They  bent  again 
to  kiss  his  hands,  exclaiming,  "  Thank  you  ! 
The  Lord  bless  you!  St.  Nicholas  guard 
you !  "  Maso  bestowed  another  good  kick  upon 
each,  which  they  received  with  fawning  smiles, 
as  if  it  had  been  a  caress,  and  shouted,  "Get 


262  LEONE. 

out  of  the  way !  Quick  !  Be  off  with  you  !  " 
And  they  hastily  disappeared  behind  the  pillar 
of  the  Piazza  di  Spagna. 

He  then  walked  up  to  Marcia  and  Clelia, 
saying  crossly,  — 

"  Why  the  deuce  do  you  want  to  get  into  a 
quarrel  here  in  Rome  ?  The  police  are  as  thick 
here  as  quails  in  June.  Don't  you  know  any 
better  than  that?" 

"  Well,  were  we  to  stand  the  insults  of  such 
ragamuffins  as  those  ? " 

"Come,  keep  quiet  there,  while  I  go  down 
to  the  foot  of  the  steps  to  smoke  my  pipe.  It 
is  too  conspicuous  up  here." 

He  said  nothing  more  to  them  ;  for  Clelia 
being  the  wife  of  Pietraccio,  and  Marcia  of 
another  prominent  member  of  the  band,  it 
would  have  been  an  insult  on  his  part,  accord- 
ing to  the  manners  of  those  people,  to  have 
reproved  them,  however  they  might  have  de- 
served it. 

He  sat  filling  his  pipe,  thinking  morosely  to 
himself,  "  What  on  earth  did  he  want  of  those 
two  women  in  Rome  ?  They  are  always  in  the 
way,  and  getting  into  trouble.  What  is  he 


THE  ROMAN  MODELS,  263 

aiming  at  now  ?  Here  we  are,  all  scattered 
about  in  dangerous  places,  —  we  here  ;  two  at 
the  inn,  with  horses  and  a  travelling-carriage ; 
the  rest  at  the  massaria  (farmhouse),  with 
horses  saddled  for  service ;  he  himself  roaming 
about  in  this  dangerous  Rome.  He  has  just 
gone  in  to  that  American's  house,  and  ordered 
me  to  wait  here.  What  does  he  want  there  ? 
He  had  him  in  his  power,  and  let  him  go  with- 
out ransom.  -I  wonder  if  he  made  a  private 
bargain  with  him,  and  now  has  come  to  get  the 
money,  to  keep  himself,  instead  of  dividing 
with  us  !  H'm  !  It  may  be.  The  worst  of  it 
is,  he  never  tells  what  he  is  going  to  do.  We 
have  to  work  in  the  dark.  He  says  do  this  or 
that :  we  obey,  and  there  is  an  end  of  it.  He 
never  asks  advice,  or  consults  any  of  us.  True, 
he  is  always  successful ;  but  then,  he  ought  to 
confide  more  in  us,  at  least  in  me,  who  am 
an  educated  man.  Ugh !  If  only  Pietraccio 
was  the  chief !  "  He  had  smoked  moodily  for 
some  time,  watching  the  passers-by  with  indif- 
ference, when  he  was  disturbed  by  the  hasty 
approach  of  the  brigand  model  whom  he  had 
called  Beppo  Mortilla,  who  whispered  to  him 


264  LEONE. 

in  passing,  "  Gens-d'annes  coming  this  way ! 
Hide  behind  us !  "  His  companion,  who  fol- 
lowed close  at  his  heels,  added,  "  Hide  quick ! 
they  are  coming  !  "  and  they  ascended  the  steps, 
and  took  up  their  former  positions.  For  only 
answer,  Maso  growled,  "  Get  away,  you  rab- 
bits !  "  and  remained  where  he  was  ;  only,  push- 
ing his  slouched  hat  on  the  back  of  his  head, 
he  stared  vacantly  at  the  smoke  of  his  pipe 
with  the  stupid  look  of  a  country  clown. 

The  two  gens-d'armes,  who  belonged  to  the 
mounted  corps,  advanced  majestically,  with 
military  tread,  their  spurs  jingling,  and  their 
heavy  cavalry  swords  clanking  on  the  flag- 
stones at  every  step.  They  were  stalwart  men, 
gorgeously  dressed,  in  huge  cocked  hats,  blue 
uniforms,  with  white  and  yellow  sashes,  large 
epaulets,  top  boots,  and  yellow  gauntlets  reach- 
ing almost  to  the  elbow,  and,  to  cap  the  whole, 
ferocious  twirled  mustaches  and  long  imperials. 

As  they  reached  the  steps,  they  glanced  up 
at  the  groups  of  models.  They  saw  nothing 
there  worthy  of  attention,  but,  looking  down, 
spied  Maso,  who,  judging  from  his  clownish 
look,  they  thought  might  be  some  common 


THE  ROMAN  MODELS.  26$ 

pickpocket  in  disguise.  They  accosted  him ; 
and  one,  in  a  very  authoritative  tone,  began  to 
question  him. 

"  Who  are  you  ? " 

"  Ehm  ? "  replied  Maso,  looking  still  more 
vacant  than  before. 

"  Who  are  you  ?     What  is  your  name  ? " 

"  Maso,"  drawled  Maso,  and  shook  the  ashes 
from  his  pipe,  and  lazily  and  unconcernedly 
pulled  out  his  tobacco-pouch,  in  order  to  refill 
it. 

"  Maso  what  ? " 

"  Maso  Tommaso,"  in  a  stupider  drawl  than 
ever. 

"  Where  are  you  from  ? " 

"Eh?     Tivoli." 

"  Tivoli  ?     Where  is  your  pass  ? "  l 

"  My  pass  ?  Oh !  —  I  have  got  it  here  some- 
where." And  he  began  slowly  to  fumble  about 
in  his  numerous  pockets,  glancing,  however, 
cautiously  about,  to  see  if  any  other  officers 
were  near,  and  what  were  his  chances  of  es- 
cape, when  he  espied  Leone,  wrapped  in  his 

1  Under  the  Papal  Government,  no  one  could  go  from  one  city  to 
another,  even  if  only  a  few  miles  apart,  without  a  regular  police  pass. 


266  LEONE. 

cloak,  coming  towards  him.  At  sight  of  his 
chief,  the  stupid,  vacant  look  that  he  had  pre- 
served changed  at  once  into  one  of  malice  and 
ferocity.  He  pulled  his  hat  down  over  his  fore- 
head, sprang  to  his  feet  close  to  the  soldier, 
and,  displaying  the  butt  of  a  pistol,  whispered 
threateningly  in  his  ear,  "  This  is  my  pass : 
another  word,  and  I  will  blow  your  brains 
out ! "  The  astonished  officer  started  back, 
seeing  in  Maso's  resolute  eyes  the  unmistaka- 
ble determination  to  execute  his  threat,  while, 
at  the  same  moment,  his  comrade  heard  a  voice 
saying  in  a  commanding  tone,  close  to  his  ear, 
"  Let  that  man  alone  ! "  He  turned  hastily, 
and  found  himself  face  to  face  with  Leone. 

In  spite  of  Leone's  plain  civilian  dress,  the 
soldier  felt  at  once,  from  his  imperious  tone, 
that  he  must  be  some  one  in  authority  ;  for  no 
Roman  would  have  dared  to  speak  in  such  a 
peremptory  manner  to  the  gens-d'armes ;  any 
resistance  to  public  authority,  under  the  des- 
potic rule  of  those  days,  entailing  upon  a  man 
an  indefinite  period  of  imprisonment.  He 
therefore  asked,  in  a  deferential  tone,  "Who 
are  you,  sir  ?  " 


THE  ROMAN  MODELS.  267 

Leone  flashed  a  look  of  defiance  at  him,  put 
his  hand  in  the  breast  of  his  coat,  and  replied 
haughtily,  — 

"  Leone  di  Montalba." 

The  two  gens-d'armes  started  at  the  name, 
the  one  who  had  questioned  Maso  giving  him 
a  look  of  recognition.  They  looked  round  the 
Piazza,  di  Spagna,  to  see  if  there  were  any  other 
officers  near ;  but  there  were  none.  They  tried 
anxiously  to  spy  some  pickpocket  at  his  trade, 
some  gamin  stealing  fruit,  some  hackman 
standing  too  near  the  fountain,  upon  whom 
they  might  pounce,  to  hide  their  defeat,  but  in 
vain :  they  had  to  make  the  best  of  it  as  it 
was.  They  exchanged  a  meaning  look,  lifted 
their  heavy  swords  under  their  arms,  touched 
their  hats  with  their  gloved  fingers,  and  marched 
off  in  military  style,  their  heads  higher,  their 
spurs  jingling  more  noisily,  than  before,  and 
disappeared  round  the  nearest  corner.  The 
two  stood  watching  their  retreat  ;  and  Maso, 
chuckling  and  pointing,  said  with  a  sneer, 
"The  Papal  police!  The  Papal  police!  Ah! 
ah!  ah!" 


268  LEONE. 

It  may  seem  strange  that  these  two  gens- 
d'armes  did  not  attempt  the  arrest  of  such  a 
famous  brigand-chief,  and  gain  the  price  set  on 
his  head ;  but  it  is  easily  explained.  They 
knew  that  these  men,  outlawed  and  desperate, 
would  never  let  themselves  be  taken,  but  would 
sell  their  lives  dearly.  The  killing  of  an  officer, 
more  or  less,  would  add  but  little  to  the  total 
of  their  crimes.  They  never  went  about  unpro- 
tected ;  and  there  might  have  been  dozens  of 
people  ready  to  help  them  resist  the  police,  and 
escape.  The  slightest  attempt,  on  their  part, 
to  arrest  one  of  them,  would  send  a  bullet 
through  their  heads,  or  a  stiletto  into  their 
backs,  before  assistance  from  other  officers 
could  reach  them.  The  law  of  self-preserva- 
tion is  as  strong  with  such  men  as  with  any- 
body else.  The  police  force  of  the  Roman  and 
Neapolitan  States,  in  those  days,  was  recruited 
from  the  very  dregs  of  the  populace ;  for  no 
respectable  man  would  accept  such  a  position, 
hated  and  despised  by  every  one,  even  by  the 
very  government  that  employed  them.  They 
were  good  enough  for  the  petty  thieves  of  the 
city,  very  efficient  against  the  liberals,  the  po- 


THE  ROMAN  MODELS.  26$ 

litical  conspirators,  the  offenders  against  reli- 
gious observances ;  but,  as  to  brigands,  there 
was  altogether  too  much  risk  about  it,  and  they 
did  not  care  to  expose  their  precious  lives  in 
any  such  ventures.  Their  nets  were  strong 
enough  to  catch  flies,  but  such  wild  animals 
could  sweep  them  away  with  a  stroke  of  their 
claws.  And,  as  to  the  price  set  on  the  heads  of 
brigands,  it  read  well  enough  in  the  governor's 
proclamations ;  but,  even  if  earned,  how  much 
of  it  would  ever  reach  the  soldier's  pocket  ?  If 
the  brigand  was  killed  (and  it  was  very  seldom 
that  they  were  taken  alive),  that  vitiated  the 
reward.  But  even  if  successful,  there  were  so 
many  deductions,  so  many  people  among  whom 
it  was  to  be  divided,  —  the  spies  who  gave  the 
clew,  the  clerks  who  forwarded  the  orders  or 
information,  the  superior  officers  who  directed 
the  movements, — that  little  or  none  came  into 
the  pockets  of  those  who  did  the  work.  And 
there  were  very  few  really  honest  and  conscien- 
tious in  the  service :  those  that  were  not  knew 
that  they  could  earn  a  great  deal  more  by  being 
conveniently  blind,  to  say  nothing  of  keeping 
a  whole  skin.  It  is  an  historical  fact,  that  no 


270  LEONE. 

famous  brigand  was  ever  arrested  in  the  city  of 
Rome  or  Naples,  or,  indeed,  in  any  city,  during 
the  Papal  and  Bourbon  Governments ;  though 
they  went  in  and  out  constantly,  and  arranged 
most  of  their  plans  in  them.  A  noted  brigand- 
chief,  then  infesting  the  country  about  Salerno, 
was  once  pointed  out  to  the  author  in  the  prin- 
cipal caft  of  Naples,  unconcernedly  taking  an 
ice  with  a  friend,  while  swarms  of  police  were 
walking  up  and  down  the  place,  scrutinizing 
every  stranger,  especially  Northern  Italians, 
for  fear  of  their  being  political  agitators  from 
liberal  Piedmont. 


Two  hours  later  a  covered  travelling-carriage, 
drawn  by  swift  horses,  and  containing  Marcia, 
Clelia,  and  one  of  the  men,  left  Rome,  followed 
at  a  respectful  distance  by  Leone  and  Maso 
on  horseback.  They  crossed  the  Campania  to 
the  cattle-farm  where  the  other  members  of 
the  band  had  remained,  and  there  they  put  up 
for  the  night. 


THE  ROMAN  MODELS.  2?  I 

Edith,  escorted  by  Valeric,  returned  home. 
Home  ?  It  had  been  so  for  more  than  three 
years,  but  now  how  desolate  it  looked !  The 
works  of  art,  antiques,  carpets,  bric-a-brac, — 
the  accumulations  of  three-years'  residence,  — 
had  all  been  packed  up,  and  stowed  away  in 
some  warehouse,  to  be  forwarded  when  they 
had  settled  upon  a  new  home ;  so  that  only  the 
scanty,  shabby  furniture  of  the  original  lodging 
remained,  the  bare  walls  still  showing  traces 
where  the  pictures  had  hung.  A  trunk  or  two, 
a  valise  waiting  to  be  strapped,  stood  in  the 
way  in  the  bedrooms  :  the  rest  of  the  house 
was  almost  empty,  the  cook  and  two  women 
half  in  tears,  silently  preparing  the  dinner.  On 
entering  the  house,  Edith  felt  her  heart  sink 
within  her.  She  had  experienced  a  shock  at  the 
sight  of  Marcia  and  Clelia,  and  her  disquiet 
was  increased  when  she  noticed  her  father's 
disturbed  look  ;  for,  notwithstanding  his  utmost 
efforts  to  appear  calm,  he  could  not  wholly 
conceal  the  emotions  and  suspicions  aroused 
by  the  conversation  with  Leone  :  but  they  had 
both  decided  not  to  mention  these  incidents 
to  each  other,  unwilling  to  allude  to  a  subject 


272  LEONE. 

so  painful,  and  which  had  been  the  means  of 
breaking  up  the  happy  life  that  they  had  led 
in  Rome. 

Dinner  was  hardly  more  than  a  formality. 
Valeric  once  or  twice  attempted  to  start  some 
subject  of  conversation,  but  in  vain.  He  was 
naturally  lively,  and  full  of  fun,  when  every 
thing  went  smoothly ;  but  at  the  same  time  he 
was  the  first  to  be  despondent  in  any  serious 
trouble.  Therefore,  as  soon  as  dinner  was 
over,  he  thought  it  best  to  leave  them  alone, 
as  he  could  cheer  neither  them  nor  himself. 
Promising  to  be  there  early  next  morning,  to 
see  them  off  to  the  station,  he  took  his  leave. 
In  going  out  he  happened  to  glance  into  the 
cafe  opposite  the  house,  brilliantly  illuminated, 
and  furnished  with  large  mirrors.  In  one  of 
these  he  caught  the  reflection  of  a  face  which 
struck  him  as  familiar.  He  stopped  a  mo- 
ment to  see  who  it  was,  and,  to  his  great 
astonishment,  recognized  one  of  Leone's  band, 
whom  he  had  seen  at  the  Castellaccio  of 
Sonnino.  "What  can  this  man  be  doing  in 
Rome,  and  at  this  cafe?"  he  thought.  "Some- 
thing must  be  up ;  for  these  scoundrels  don't 


THE  ROMAN  MODELS.  2/3 

come  to  the  city,  at  the  risk  of  being  caught, 
merely  to  drink  lemonade  in  a  cafe"  But 
he  was  too  much  depressed  to  pay  any  spe- 
cial attention  to  the  matter  :  and,  after  walk- 
ing about  a  street  or  two  for  exercise,  he 
returned  to  his  studio  ;  its  loneliness,  without 
his  old  comrade,  affected  him  painfully  in  his 
dejected  state  of  mind.  He  determined,  after 
seeing  his  friends  off  in  the  morning,  to  take 
the  afternoon  train  for  Sonnino,  and  spend  a 
week  or  two  with  Silvio :  so  he  packed  his 
valise,  and  prepared  to  retire.  As  he  raised  his 
arm  to  turn  out  the  gas  in  the  studio,  he  hap- 
pened to  glance  at  the  St.  Jerome,  which  hung 
directly  in  front  of  him.  'He  could  not  resist 
shaking  his  fist  at  him,  and  wishing  him  any- 
where  else  but  in  this  world.  Then  he  went 
to  bed,  and  dreamed  of  brigands,  stilettos,  pis- 
tols, attacks,  and  tumult. 


2/4  LEONE. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

LEAVING   ROME. 

1  "PITH  was  glad  to  retire  early,  on  the  plea 
-• — '  of  being  ready  for  the  following  day ;  for 
she  longed  to  be  alone.  She  seemed  resigned  ; 
but  it  was  the  resignation  of  a  high-minded 
woman,  whose  heart  suffers  the  more  keenly 
for  its  outward  calm.  She  tried  to  sleep,  but 
in  vain,  so  many  sweet  and  bitter  fancies 
thronged  her  brain.  It  was  her  last  night  in 
Rome,  —  Rome,  the  dream  of  her  youth,  when, 
a  mere  child,  she  read  her  history,  and  stud- 
ied art,  —  the  ancient  and  mediaeval  wonders 
which  she  had  seen  in  prints  and  photographs, 
and  which  it  had  been  such  a  delight  to  her 
afterwards  to  realize.  She  recalled  happy  days 
spent  in  the  museums  and  churches,  the  gar- 
dens and  old  ruins,  the  sketches  she  had  made 
at  every  season  of  the  year,  when  her  heart  was 
free,  and  her  only  ambition  to  excel  in  land- 


LEAVING  ROME. 

scape,  which  was  her  passion,  fostered  by  the 
primeval  grandeur  and  varied  beauties  of  her 
native  country.  But  when  she  came  to  know 
Silvio  and  admire  his  works,  how  much  higher 
an  accomplishment  seemed  the  study  of  the 
human  form  !  Silvio  !  How  many  reminis- 
cences that  thought  evoked,  —  the  first  visit 
to  his  studio ;  the  first  introduction ;  the  first 
suspicion  of  interest ;  the  first  look  of  love ;  the 
numberless  acts  and  words,  doubts  and  fears, 
ending  in  his  avowal  that  fatal  evening  on  the 
Pincio ;  his  first  kiss,  still  burning  on  her  fore- 
head. And  then  —  The  rest  seemed  all  con- 
fusion. Like  a  happy  party  sailing  in  fancied 
security  on  a  smiling  summer  day,  along  a 
charming  coast  studded  with  villages  and  farms, 
woody  promontories,  lofty  cliffs  crowned  with 
lighthouses,  the  water  gently  murmuring  at 
their  base,  sandy  havens  swarming  with  white 
sails  and  fishing-boats ;  suddenly  a  black  squall 
rises  from  the  sea,  covering  the  sky  with 
threatening  clouds,  turning  the  waters  to  ink, 
the  gentle  murmur  to  the  hiss  of  a  serpent, 
the  soft  swell  to  surging  billows ;  the  dazzling 
lightning  cleaves  the  sky,  followed  by  a  roll  of 


276  LEONE. 

thunder,  flash  after  flash,  peal  upon  peal ;  the 
wind,  rising  to  a  gale,  lashes  the  frail  bark, 
tears  her  sail  to  rags,  and  tosses  her  like  a 
nutshell  upon  the  strand,  where  the  affrighted 
pleasure-seekers  cling  to  each  other,  breath- 
less and  bewildered  at  their  miraculous  escape, 
—  so  felt  poor  Edith.  And,  when  she  finally 
sank  into  the  sleep  of  utter  exhaustion,  it  was 
broken  by  sudden  starts  and  fantastic  dreams. 

She  dreamed  of  her  New-England  home,  and 
herself  again  a  child,  enjoying  its  pastoral 
pleasures,  and  making  her  first  attempts  in 
drawing ;  of  the  mother  of  whom  she  had  but 
a  faint,  shadowy  recollection ;  but  now,  with 
the  inconsistency  of  dreams,  she  was  caring 
for  her,  kissing  and  caressing  her,  showing  her 
pictures  and  telling  her  their  stories.  Sitting 
on  the  veranda  together,  they  turn  the  pages 
of  an  illustrated  atlas.  Country  after  country 
they  see,  —  China  and  Japan,  India,  Russia ; 
here  is  Italy  —  Etna,  Vesuvius,  St.  Peter's,  the 
Colosseum.  It  is  no  longer  her  own  mother, 
but  Silvio's,  who  is  showing  her  these  pictur- 
esque contadinas,  these  shepherds  in  their  con- 
ical hats  :  who  are  they  ?  Silvio  leans  over  his 


LEAVING  ROME.  2// 

mother's  shoulder,  and  says,  "  This  is  Marcia ; 
this  is  Clelia ;  and  this  shepherd  is  my  father, 
Leone." 

The  name  of  Leone  sent  a  sudden  thrill  of 
fear  through  her,  and  she  awoke  with  a  cry 
of  terror.  It  was  already  daylight ;  and  a  feel- 
ing of  relief  came  over  her  at  the  thought  that 
it  was  only  a  dream,  and  that  she  had  slept  for 
the  last  time  in  Rome. 

Youth  and  health  have  this  advantage, — that 
they  can  resist  grief,  not  sink  under  it.  When 
Edith  joined  her  father  she  seemed  cheerful  ; 
and  he  kissed  her  good-morning,  saying  gently, 
"  Darling  Edith,  I  lost  your  dear  mother  when 
only  a  little  older  than  you  are,  but  I  did  not 
despair :  I  bore  it  patiently,  and  gradually  be- 
came cheerful  for  your  sake.  I  sympathize 
with  you,  and  feel  keenly  for  your  loss  ;  but  you 
will  also  bear  it  patiently,  and  by  degrees  we 
may  become  happy  again." 

"  Father,"  she  replied,  looking  fondly  into 
his  face,  "  I  will  bear  it  for  your  sake,  and  I 
will  try  to  make  you  happy."  They  said  no 
more,  but,  snatching  a  hasty  breakfast,  prepared 
for  their  journey.  Valerio  came  in  good  season 


2/8  LEONE. 

to  escort  them  to  the  station,  where  they  were 
to  take  the  morning  train  for  Naples. 

The  railroad  from  Rome  to  Naples  was  at 
that  time  unfinished  :  it  ran  only  about  twenty- 
five  miles ;  then  stage-coaches,  which  were  in 
waiting,  took  the  passengers  to  the  station  of 
Ceprano,  a  distance  of  some  ten  miles,  where 
they  again  took  the  train  to  Naples. 

When  our  party  arrived  at  the  station,  there 
was  the  usual  bustle  and  hurry-scurry  preceding 
the  departure  of  trains.  Only  a  few  passen- 
gers were  going  through  to  Naples :  the  rest 
were  country  people  going  back  to  their  towns, 
and  taking  second  or  third  class  cars.  Our 
travellers  took  their  seats  in  a  first-class  com- 
partment ;  and,  while  they  were  settling  them- 
selves in  their  places,  Valerio  stood  on  the 
platform  to  bid  them  the  last  farewell.  Hap- 
pening to  look  around,  whom  should  he  spy 
but  the  member  of  Leone's  band  whom  he  had 
seen  the  night  before  in  the  cafe  opposite  Mr. 
Norman's  house.  The  man,  in  his  turn,  ap- 
peared to  recognize  Valerio ;  for  he  turned 
quickly,  as  if  to  escape  being  spoken  to,  and 
entered  a  second-class  compartment.  Some 


LEAVING  ROME.  279 

suspicion  rose  in  Valerio's  mind,  as  he  re- 
called the  presence  of  Marcia  and  Clelia  in 
Rome  the  day  before.  "What  can  they  be 
doing  in  Rome  ?  "  he  thought.  "They  are  up  to 
some  mischief,  surely."  He  hesitated  for  a 
moment  whether  to  tell  Mr.  Norman ;  but  then, 
what  was  the  use  of  arousing  his  suspicions  ? 
They  could  not  possibly  have  any  designs  on 
him,  for  he  was  safely  on  his  way  to  Naples. 
He  decided  not  to  mention  it ;  for  the  cars  were 
just  ready  to  start,  and  there  would  be  no  time 
to  explain.  The  train  moved ;  and  Valerio 
waved  a  last  farewell,  doubting  if  he  should 
ever  meet  them  again.  He  returned  moodily 
to  his  studio,  and  sat  down  before  his  easel  to 
while  away  the  time  till  the  afternoon,  when 
he  would  go  to  Sonnino. 

The  train  started  at  moderate  speed,  stop- 
ping at  every  little  station.  They  passed  the 
interminable  ruined  arches  of  the  Aqueduct, 
gradually  losing  sight  of  the  city,  except  the 
dome  of  St.  Peter's,  which  every  now  and  then 
loomed  up  on  the  horizon,  until  finally  that  also 
disappeared,  as  they  entered  the  cultivated 
fields  and  hilly  country  of  Albano.  As  they 


28O  LEONE. 

increased  their  distance  from  Rome,  Mr.  Nor- 
man's heart  swelled  with  a  sense  of  freedom 
and  relief,  as  if  escaping  from  dangerous 
ground,  while  poor  Edith's  grew  more  and  more 
heavy,  breaking  away  from  this  last  link  that 
bound  her  to  so  many  sweet  memories. 

"What  a  beautiful  country  this  is,  if  only 
it  were  blessed  with  liberty ! "  exclaimed  Mr. 
Norman,  enchanted  with  the  scenery ;  for, 
though  it  was  October,  the  fields  were  as  bright 
and  green  as  in  June.  "What  a  paradise  on 
earth  it  would  be,  if  the  people  were  only  more 
civilized ! " 

"Oh,  yes!  father,  beautiful,  too  beautiful," 
replied  Edith  with  a  sigh,  thinking  that  she  was 
leaving  it  forever.  They  remained  silent  for  a 
long  time,  watching  with  admiration  the  chan- 
ging landscape  as  the  train  swept  by.  When 
they  arrived  at  the  terminus,  where  they  were 
to  take  the  stages  for  Ceprano  in  the  Neapoli- 
tan States,  as  there  were  only  a  few  passen- 
gers, Mr.  Norman  bribed  the  employees  not  to 
put  any  other  occupant  into  the  coach  with 
them.  Only  a  second-class  passenger,  to  whom 
they  paid  no  attention,  took  a  seat  on  the  box 


LEAVING  ROME.  28 1 

with  the  driver  :  it  was  the  brigand  whom  Vale- 
rio  had  noticed  at  the  station.  When  all  were 
seated,  and  the  baggage  strapped  on,  the  five 
coaches  which  composed  the  line  set  out,  at  a 
quick  trot,  to  traverse  the  ten  miles  of  unfin- 
ished railroad.  They  had  gone  about  half  way, 
when,  at  a  place  where  the  main  road  was 
crossed  by  one  leading  to  the  hills,  they  saw  a 
travelling-carriage  which  apparently  had  met 
with  some  accident ;  for  the  occupants  were 
standing  by  it,  surrounded  by  a  number  of  con- 
tadini,  and,  under  the  direction  of  a  gentleman 
in  hunting-dress,  seemed  busy  lashing  the  axle 
with  ropes.  Two  peasant  women  stood  by  the 
wall,  watching  them,  while  some  men  held  two 
handsome  saddle-horses  belonging  to  the  party. 
The  line  of  coaches  had  to  slacken  their  speed 
as  they  passed  the  obstruction,  which  was  in 
the  middle  of  the  road ;  and  the  party  on  foot 
stepped  closer  to  the  carriage,  and  stopped 
their  work,  as  if  to  let  them  go  by.  One,  two 
coaches  went  slowly  round,  and  then,  with  a 
crack  of  the  whip,  resumed  their  smart  trot. 
The  third  one,  containing  Mr.  Norman  and 
Edith,  was  following ;  but,  when  just  abreast 


282  LEONE. 

of  the  group,  the  man  seated  beside  the  driver 
seized  the  reins  out  of  his  hands,  and,  with  a 
sudden  pull,  stopped  the  horses,  at  the  same 
time  pointing  a  pistol  at  his  head,  threatening, 
if  he  resisted,  to  blow  his  brains  out.  At  the 
same  moment,  a  shrill  whistle  was  heard ;  and, 
from  behind  the  walls  on  either  side  of  the 
road,  sprang  a  swarm  of  men  in  peasant  dress, 
but  with  pistols  in  their  hands,  who,  joined  by 
those  around  the  carriage,  surrounded  the 
three  coaches,  threatening  death  to  any  one 
that  stirred.  The  two  women,  who  were  Mar- 
cia  and  Clelia,  ran  to  the  coach  occupied  by 
Mr.  Norman  and  Edith,  the  doors  of  which 
had  been  opened  by  the  armed  men,  and  cried, 
"Come  with  us,  signorina,  and  have  no  fear." 
At  sight  of  them  Edith  knew  into  whose  hands 
they  had  again  fallen,  and,  turning  pale,  clung 
to  her  father.  Resistance  was  useless.  Mr. 
Norman  was  held  firmly  by  several  of  the  men 
who  had  jumped  into  the  coach ;  und  Marcia 
and  Clelia,  snatching  Edith  up  bodily,  carried 
her  to  the  travelling-carriage,  and  got  into  it 
with  her.  One  man  mounted  the  box  with  the 
driver,  who,  whipping  up  the  horses,  started  at 


LEAVING  ROME.  283 

a  full  run  up  the  cross-road.  The  two  women 
held  a  handkerchief  over  Edith's  mouth  to  sti- 
fle any  outcry,  but  said  soothingly,  at  the  same 
time,  "  Don't  be  frightened,  signorina,  don't  be 
frightened !  No  harm  will  be  done  to  you." 

"  Oh,  my  poor  father  !  My  poor  father !  " 
she  exclaimed,  when  they  partially  released  her. 
"  Where  are  you  taking  me  ?  Why  have  you 
done  this  to  me  ?  I  was  surely  good  to  you." 

"  Yes,  yes,  good  signorina !  and  we  mean  no 
harm  to  you.  And,  indeed,  you  will  thank  us 
for  this  by  and  by,  for  we  are  taking  you  to 
your  innamorato." 

The  word  "  innamorato  "  sounded  like  a  reve- 
lation, and  even  a  relief,  in  her  sudden  fright. 
"But  could  Silvio  have  had  any  thing  to  do 
with  this  ? "  she  thought,  with  a  momentary 
flash  of  suspicion  ;  but  recalling  his  gentleness, 
and  tender,  loving  disposition,  she  exclaimed, 
"  No,  no,  that  is  impossible  !  "  However,  she 
felt  relieved  of  the  anxiety  and  terror  that  had 
overpowered  her  at  the  sudden  attack,  on  her 
father's  account,  as  well  as  her  own ;  for  now 
she  felt  sure  that  they  would  not  molest  him, 
and  she  resigned  herself  to  what  fate  might 


284  LEONE. 

have  in  store  for  her,  convinced  that  no  per- 
sonal injury  was  meant  to  either  of  them. 

The  carriage,  meanwhile,  flew  over  the  road, 
closely  followed  by  Maso  and  Leone  on  horse- 
back. The  latter,  when  he  had  seen  Edith  safe 
in  the  carriage  between  the  women,  mounted 
his  horse,  and  gave  a  signal  to  his  men  to  dis- 
perse. Passing  close  to  Mr.  Norman,  who  was 
still  held  in  the  coach  by  two  men,  he  said  to 
him  in  a  tone  of  reproach,  "It  is  your  own  fault : 
you  would  have  it  so.  I  warned  you  to  beware, 
for  no  man  yet  has  dared  to  oppose  Leone." 
Then,  ordering  the  men  to  release  him,  he  ap- 
proached still  closer,  and  whispered  hastily, 
"  Fear  not  for  your  daughter,  but  she  shall 
marry  my  son  in  spite  of  you  ;  "  and,  setting 
spurs  to  his  horse,  he  dashed  off  after  the  car- 
riage, followed  by  Maso,  and  was  soon  lost  to 
sight  in  the  cloud  of  dust.  The  other  men, 
returning  their  pistols,  the  only  weapons  they 
had  displayed,  to  their  pockets,  climbed  over 
the  stone  walls  again,  and  dispersed  in  various 
directions,  looking  in  no  way  different  from  any 
of  the  peasants  working  in  the  fields.  The 
whole  affair  had  not  occupied  ten  minutes,  and 


LEAVING  ROME.  285 

the  only  trace  left  behind  was  Mr.  Norman's 
empty  coach. 

He  had  remained  for  a  moment  as  if  para- 
lyzed ;  but  Leone's  last  words,  though  re-assur- 
ing as  to  any  violence  intended  against  Edith, 
yet  indicated  his  set  purpose  to  compel  her  to 
marry  Silvio  against  his  and  her  own  wishes. 
This  roused  his  indignation  ;  and  he  cried  in 
answer,  "  You  have  mistaken  your  man  this 
time,  for  I  hold  you  in  my  power ;  and  within 
twenty-four  hours  you  will  be  in  the  hands  of 
justice,  as  you  deserve,  even  if  you  are  Silvio's 
father."  But  Leone  was  already  too  far  off  to 
hear  his  threat. 

The  two  coaches  in  advance  had  heard  the 
commotion  ;  and,  supposing  it  an  actual  attack 
of  brigands,  the  drivers  merely  whipped  their 
horses  into  a  gallop,  so  as  to  get  away  as  fast 
as  possible.  The  two  that  followed  stopped : 
the  passengers,  terror-struck,  dared  not  move 
till  all  was  over,  and  the  brigands  had  disap- 
peared. Then  they  asked  each  other,  "What 
was  it  ?  A  capture  !  Some  rich  foreigner  ?  Of 
course.  Whom  do  you  expect  them  to  take,  — 
us  ?  We  haven't  got  a  hundred  francs."  Thus 


286  LEONE. 

re-assured,  they  went  on  their  way,  with  many 
expressions  of  sympathy  for  Mr.  Norman. 

Mr.  Norman,  remaining  alone  in  the  coach, 
thought  at  first  of  following  the  carriage ;  but 
a  moment's  reflection  convinced  him  of  the 
futility  of  the  attempt,  and  he  ordered  it  to 
hasten  back  to  the  Roman  station  to  take  the 
return  train.  He  was  fortunate  in  finding  it 
just  ready  to  proceed ;  and  an  hour  later  he  was 
again  in  Rome. 


THE   GOVERNOR   OP  ROME.  28? 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

THE    GOVERNOR    OF    ROME. 

"\T  7HEN  Mr.  Norman  alighted  from  the 
*  '  train,  he  went  directly  to  Valerie's  stu- 
dio, and  found  him  still  seated  before  his  easel, 
though  doing  very  little  work.  The  astonish- 
ment of  the  young  artist  at  the  sight  of  Mr 
Norman  again,  and  in  such  a  state  of  excite- 
ment, may  be  easily  imagined.  "What  has 
happened  ? "  he  exclaimed. 

"They  have  taken  away  my  poor  Edith," 
was  all  that  Mr.  Norman  could  say,  as  he  sank 
exhausted  into  a  chair.  Valerio  dropped  palette 
and  brushes,  rushed  to  him,  and,  seizing  his 
hands,  cried,  "  Don't,  don't  give  way  so  !  Tell 
me  about  it." 

Mr.  Norman,  gradually  recovering  his  self- 
possession,  related  the  events  of  the  morning, 
and  ended  by  saying,  "  After  such  an  outrage, 
no  further  feeling  of  consideration  for  poor 


288  LEONE. 

Silvio  can  restrain  me.  I  told  you  some  time 
ago  that  I  held  Leone  and  his  band  in  the 
hollow  of  my  hand ;  and  I  will  now  make  use 
of  my  power.  Come  with  me,  for  I  need  a 
friendly  face  near  me.  I  will  go  first  to  the 
American  consul,  and  ask  him  to  lay  a  com- 
plaint before  the  governor  of  Rome,  who  has 
supreme  control  over  all  the  police  of  the  Papal 
States." 

"  What  do  you  mean  to  do  ? "  asked  Valerio, 
who  had  an  instinctive  dread  of  being  mixed  up 
with  the  police,  common  to  all  honest  Italians 
of  those  days. 

"  Do  ?  I  have  no  time  to  explain  now.  But 
will  you  come  with  me  ?  " 

"Why,  yes,  indeed,  dear  Mr.  Norman !  at 
once."  However  averse  to  the  police,  Vale- 
rio's  impulsive  nature  was  too  kindly  to  desert 
a  friend.  So  they  went  immediately  to  the 
American  consulate,  where  Mr.  Norman  was 
well  known.  He  related  the  case  to  the  con- 
sul, asking  his  official  assistance.  This  func- 
tionary, indignant  that  an  American  lady  should 
have  been  subjected  to  such  violence,-  agreed 
to  lay  the  case  at  once  before  the  governor  of 
Rome. 


THE   GOVERNOR  OF  ROME.  289 

The  official  residence  was  a  huge  mediaeval 
palace,  whose  massive  walls,  darkened  by  age 
and  neglect,  looked  mournful  and  gloomy.  The 
few  lower  windows  were  grated  with  strong 
iron  bars,  from  behind  which  peeped  out  the 
faces  of  the  motley  crew  who  had  been  arrested 
the  night  before,  waiting  to  be  examined,  and 
either  sent  to  the  various  prisons  or  released. 
Two  police  sentries,  in  full  uniform,  mounted 
guard  before  the  great  entrance  door,  while 
some  twenty  others  lounged  about  on  benches 
and  settees  under  the  vaulted  archway.  The 
court-yard  was  crowded  with  police-officers 
coming  and  going,  men  and  women,  friends 
of  the  arrested,  and  suspicious-looking  nonde- 
scripts prowling  about. 

They  went  up  the  wide  marble  staircase,  that 
looked  as  if  no  broom  had  ever  touched  it,  and 
entered  a  large  hall  lined  with  benches,  but  so 
crowded,  that  many  were  standing,  or  walking 
about,  waiting  patiently  their  turn  to  be  ad- 
mitted by  the  ushers,  who  stood  at  the  different 
doors  to  confer  with  the  officers  closeted  with- 
in. Our  party  had  to  wait  until  the  return  of 
the  usher,  who  had  taken  the  consul's  card  de- 


290  LEONE. 

siring  an  interview  with  the  governor  on  very 
urgent  business.  Mr.  Norman  looked  about ; 
and,  to  his  astonishment,  he  noticed  that  most 
of  the  people  there  were  priests,  or,  at  least, 
wore  priestly  garments  ;  and  some  nuns  were 
among  them,  but  such  faces !  His  only  knowl- 
edge of  priests  had  been,  till  then,  the  amiable, 
venerable  face  of  Father  Francesco,  and  the 
higher  clergy  he  had  seen  officiating  in  the 
churches.  Now  and  then  he  had  met  some 
lugubrious,  shabby-looking  priests  about  the 
streets,  but  he  had  not  taken  much  notice  of 
them ;  but  here  he  saw  such  a  collection  of  ca- 
daverous, rascally-looking  faces,  that  he  thought 
to  himself,  "  Really,  if  I  had  to  choose,  I  had 
rather  be  among  Leone's  brigands  than  with 
such  a  blackguard-looking  set."  He  had  not 
much  time  to  think  about  them,  however ;  for 
the  usher  returned,  inviting  the  consul  and  Mr. 
Norman  to  enter  the  governor's  private  cabinet 
in  advance  of  the  others  awaiting  an  audience. 
Valeric,  meanwhile,  remained  in  the  hall. 

They  passed  through  several  rooms  filled 
with  clerks  at  their  desks ;  and  Mr.  Norman 
noticed  that  those  who  seemed  chiefs  were  in- 


THE   GOVERNOR   OF  ROME.  2QI 

variably  priests,  and  that  the  others  were,  for 
the  most  part,  dressed  in  dark  garments,  the 
sanctimonious  expression  on  their  faces  hardly 
in  keeping  with  the  sharp,  black  eyes  that 
peered  curiously  at  the  visitors,  though  their 
heads  were  not  raised  from  their  writing.  Fi- 
nally they  reached  the  governor's  room,  the 
usher  introducing  them,  and  shutting  the  door 
after  them.  It  was  a  small  room,  elegantly, 
though  rather  sombrely  furnished,  — dark  walls, 
on  which  hung  several  pictures  of  saints,  or, 
rather,  martyrs ;  two  large  bookcases ;  two 
sofas ;  several  arm-chairs ;  and  a  square  table 
covered  with  a  green  cloth,  loaded  with  piles 
upon  piles  of  papers,  in  the  midst  of  which  stood 
an  ebony  cross,  upon  which  hung  an  antique 
ivory  Christ,  and  in  front  of  it  an  enormous 
bronze  inkstand.  Mr.  Norman  took  little  notice 
of  this,  his  attention  being  at  once  drawn  to 
the  governor  himself,  who  had  risen  from  his 
mediaeval  arm-chair,  politely  greeting  the  con- 
sul, and  inviting  him  to  a  chair  at  his  side. 
He  was  a  monsignore,  dressed  in  his  elegant 
violet  robe,  with  the  priest's  violet  skull-cap  on 
his  head :  though,  like  many  of  the  monsign- 


2Q2  LEONE. 

ores,  he  was  not  a  full  priest,  having  taken 
only  the  lower  orders;  for  it  is  one  of  the 
peculiarities  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  that  a 
man  taking  the  lower  orders  and  the  vow  of 
celibacy  may  become  a  monsignore,  then  a 
cardinal,  and  even  pope,  without  being  either 
priest  or  bishop.  He  was  very  neat  in  his  per- 
son, except  the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  his 
right  hand,  with  which  he  constantly  took  a 
pinch  of  snuff  from  an  open  box  on  the  table, 
which  he  inhaled  with  great  gusto,  carefully 
brushing  away  what  dropped  on  his  breast 
with  a  delicate  cambric  handkerchief.  He  was 
about  fifty  years  old,  with  very  polished  man- 
ners, clean-shaven,  his  features  sharp  and  thin, 
his  eyes  small  and  gray,  with  a  peculiar  whitish 
ring  around  the  pupils,  which,  as  they  gleamed 
under  heavy,  bushy  eyebrows,  on  either  side  of 
a  very  aquiline  nose,  gave  him  the  look  of  a 
night-hawk.  His  thin,  shapeless  lips,  when 
parted  by  a  caustic  smile,  displayed  broken, 
discolored  teeth. 

The  consul  introduced  Mr.  Norman  as  a 
highly  respectable  American  citizen,  who  had 
resided  in  Rome  for  over  three  years ;  and 


THE   GOVERNOR   OF  ROME.  293 

stated,  that,  on  his  way  to  Naples  that  morning, 
he  had  been  surprised  by  a  band  of  brigands, 
under  the  famous  Leone,  and  his  daughter 
carried  off  as  hostage. 

"  Leone  again !  "  exclaimed  the  governor. 
"  Why,  it  is  only  last  week  that  he  committed 
a  most  daring  robbery  against  the  State  !  How 
is  it  that  I  have  not  been  informed  sooner  of 
this  ? " 

"  It  only  happened  two  or  three  hours  ago." 
"  Yes  ;  but  time  enough  for  the  several  po- 
lice-stations along  that  line  to  have  learned  of 
it,  and  informed  us."  He  rang  the  bell,  and 
gave  orders  for  immediate  inquiries  to  be  insti- 
tuted concerning  it ;  then,  turning  to  Mr.  Nor- 
man, he  begged  for  a  detailed  account  of  the 
occurrence.  Mr.  Norman  gave  it,  and,  in  addi- 
tion, the  narrative  of  his  previous  capture  by 
the  band,  and  release  by  Leone,  and  ended  by 
declaring,  that,  if  the  governor  would  intrust 
to  his  direction  a  sufficient  force,  he  would 
undertake  to  surprise  and  arrest  the  outlaws, 
and  release  his  daughter ;  for,  on  that  former 
occasion,  he  had  learned  the  hiding-place  of  the 
band,  to  which  he  was  certain  his  daughter  had 


2Q4  LEONE. 

been  carried.  He,  however,  avoided  any  refer- 
ence to  Silvio's  engagement  to  Edith,  or  to  his 
relationship  to  Leone :  he  even,  to  avoid  ques- 
tions, abstained  from  mentioning  that  Silvio 
and  Valeric  were  with  him  in  that  first  capture. 

The  governor  listened  with  the  closest  at- 
tention, showing  no  surprise,  and  interrupting 
with  no  questions.  Now  and  .then  he  would 
contract  his  thin  lips  more  than  usual,  with  a 
dubious  glance  at  his  interlocutor,  as  if  suspect- 
ing some  reticences  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Norman. 
At  the  end,  he  remained  for  a  while  absorbed 
in  thought ;  then,  turning  to  the  consul,  though 
speaking  to  both,  he  said,  — 

"This  is  a  most  extraordinary  occurrence, 
Mr.  Consul,  and  an  unprecedented  one.  You 
have  my  full  sympathy,  and  all  the  power  which 
is  at  my  disposal  for  the  young  lady's  release. 
His  Holiness  will  be  much  grieved ;  for  I  must 
apprise  his  Eminence,  the  Secretary  of  State, 
at  once.  He  will  regret  most  deeply  that  such 
an  outrage  should  have  been  committed  in  the 
Roman  States.  Still  I  must  beg  to  question 
you  further  in  this  matter,  Mr.  Norman ;  for 
there  are  circumstances  about  it  which  are  in- 


THE   GOVERNOR  OF  ROME.  295 

comprehensible  to  me.  Leone  has  been  an 
outlaw  for  the  last  twenty-five  years,  —  much 
to  our  regret,  for  he  has  evaded  all  the  means 
used  by  my  predecessors  and  myself  for  his 
arrest ;  but,  in  all  that  time,  I  never  knew 
him  to  molest  a  woman  or  a  foreigner.  You 
say  that  he  captured  you  and  your  daughter 
while  sketching  on  the  mountain  at  Sonnino, 
and  then  released  you  without  ransom  ? " 

"We  were  surprised  by  his  band,"  corrected 
Mr.  Norman,  "who  took  us  to  a  cave  on  the 
top  of  the  mountain,  —  a  place  called  Castel- 
laccio ;  but  when  Leone,  who  was  away  at  the 
time,  returned,  he  released  us,  because  his  band 
had  acted  without  his  orders." 

"  Why  did  you  not  report  this  to  the  Roman 
authorities  ? "  asked  the  governor  with  a  scru- 
tinizing look  that  almost  disconcerted  Mr.  Nor- 
man, who  replied  with  some  hesitation,  — 

"  I  was  rather  excited,  and  thought  it  better 
to  get  away  from  the  country  than  to  have 
any  more  trouble  about  it." 

"Did  you  not  know,  that,  in  so  doing,  you 
committed  a  misdemeanor  punishable,  under 
our  laws,  by  imprisonment  ? " 


296  LEONE. 

Mr.  Norman  stared,  unable  to  grasp  the  idea 
that  he,  the  aggrieved  party,  should  actually 
have  rendered  himself  liable  to  imprisonment ; 
but  the  consul  came  to  his  relief. 

"My  countryman,  governor,  acted  in  abso- 
lute ignorance  of  the  special  laws  enacted  for 
the  extirpation  of  brigandage." 

"Of  course,  of  course.  I  fully  understand 
that ;  but  I  cannot  understand  why  Leone 
should  capture  these  foreigners  again,  and 
detain  the  young  lady.  Had  he  held  you,  and 
sent  your  daughter  to  collect  and  forward  the 
ransom,  it  would  have  been  more  natural." 

"  I  cannot  give  his  reasons,  governor :  I  can 
only  state  the  facts,"  replied  Mr.  Norman. 

The  governor  reflected  a  while. 

"  And  you  think,  that,  if  you  had  a  sufficient 
force,  you  could  find  your  way  to  the  Castel- 
laccio,  and  surprise  the  band  ?  " 

"I  am  sure  I  can." 

"  You  will  expose  yourself  to  great  risk,  and 
your  daughter  also,  in  undertaking  such  a  peril- 
ous business." 

"I  am  willing  to  run  the  risk  for  the  sake 
of  law  and  justice,"  replied  Mr.  Norman  with 


THE   GOVERNOR   OF  ROME.  297 

proud  decision.  The  governor  fixed  his  keen 
eyes  upon  him,  as  if  wondering  in  his  own  mind 
what  sort  of  moral  stuff  the  man  was  made  of. 
Then,  as  if  coming  to  some  conclusion,  he  said, 
rising,  "  Gentlemen,  please  wait  a  few  moments 
for  me  here,  while  I  consult  with  the  chief  of 
our  police  service;  and  then  I  will  give  you 
the  result  of  our  deliberations  on  this  serious 
matter." 

The  consul  and  Mr.  Norman  remained  alone 
for  a  long  time  ;  the  former  endeavoring  to 
explain  to  his  astonished  countryman  the  arbi- 
trary, unjust,  and  despotic  laws  enacted  against 
brigandage,  which  worked  harm  invariably  upon 
the  innocent  or  ignorant,  seldom  or  never  upon 
the  guilty  or  on  the  brigands  themselves. 
Had  they  been  able  to  hear  the  conversation 
that  was  going  on  at  the  same  moment  in  the 
next  room,  they  would  have  been  more  than 
astonished. 

The  governor  entered  the  next  room,  which 
was  occupied  by  a  man  in  citizen's  dress,  though 
he  had  a  military  air :  he  was  seated  at  a  desk, 
looking  over  piles  of  despatches,  while  clerks 
were  constantly  coming  in  and  out  with  papers 


298  LEONF.. 

and  documents  that  required  his  signature. 
His  face  was  coarse,  with  bushy  hair  and  side- 
whiskers,  and  so  savage  an  expression  of  eye, 
that  any  one  meeting  him  at  the  head  of  a 
band  of  cut-throats  and  robbers  would  have 
said  that  he  was  the  right  man  in  the  right 
place.  He  rose  respectfully  on  the  entrance  of 
the  governor,  who,  dismissing  with  a  gesture 
the  clerks  standing  about,  drew  him  to  a  sofa 
in  the  farthest  corner  of  the  room,  and  sat 
there  while  they  held  the  following  whispered 
conversation  :  — 

"  Have  you  received  news  of  Leone's  capture 
of  this  morning  ? " 

"I  have  just  received  a  report  from  the  post 
nearest  the  place,  which  I  was  going  to  bring 
in  to  you  as  soon  as  you  had  dismissed  your 
visitors." 

He  spoke  indifferently,  as  if  it  were  a  mere 
matter  of  form. 

"Those  visitors  are  the  American  consul, 
and  the  father  of  the  young  lady  who  was 
carried  off,  who  is  an  American." 

"The  American  consul!  An  American!" 
repeated  the  subordinate,  the  question  appar- 


THE   GOVERNOR   OF  ROME.  299 

ently  assuming  at  once  a  serious  turn.  "  The 
report  does  not  state  that :  it  says  simply  a 
young  woman." 

He  rose,  as  if  to  fetch  the  document,  but 
the  governor  pulled  him  down  to  his  seat  again. 

"I  tell  you  she  is  an  American."  And  he 
then  briefly  narrated  the  story,  including  the 
previous  capture  of  Mr.  Norman  and  Edith. 

"An  American,  and  a  woman!"  exclaimed 
the  subordinate  with  amazement,  after  his 
chief's  recital,  as  if  only  those  two  words  had 
made  any  impression  on  his  mind.  Then  he 
added  conclusively,  "  Leone  must  have  lost  his 
senses." 

"Certainly  he  must.  He  has  never  in  his 
life  before  done  any  thing  like  this.  He  knew 
too  much  to  lay  hands  on  priests,  women,  or 
foreigners ;  and  now,  all  of  a  sudden,  he  seizes 
a  woman,  and  a  foreigner  too.  He  really  must 
have  lost  his  head.  A  pretty  rumpus  there 
will  be ;  for  I  must  report  the  case  to-night  to 
his  Eminence  the  Cardinal  Secretary  of  State, 
who  will  report  it  to-morrow  to  his  Holiness 
the  Pope,  and  you  can  imagine  the  conse- 
quences !  There  will  be  protests  from  all  the 


3OO  LEONE. 

foreign  embassies,  diplomatic  notes  from  all  the 
foreign  governments,  whose  subjects  come  to 
Rome  by  the  thousand,  and  spend  so  much 
money  here.  An  American,  and  a  lady,  stopped, 
and  taken  as  hostage,  in  the  public  highway, 
nay,  in  the  government  mail-coach  itself !  What 
will  his  Holiness  say  ?  What  will  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  say  ?  And  where  will  you  and  I 
be,  if  such  things  can  take  place  with  impunity  ? 
All  my  ordinances  and  special  decrees  against 
brigands,  all  my  rewards  offered  for  their  arrest, 
avail  nothing.  As  you  say,  he  must  have  lost 
his  head." 

His  subordinate  sat  thinking  a  while ;  then, 
as  if  an  idea  had  suddenly  come  into  his  head, 
he  said  with  a  sly  look,  — 

"Could  it  be  possible  that  he  fell  in  love 
with  the  young  lady  when  he  saw  her  the  first 
time,  and  tried  this  game  to  possess  her  by 
force  ? " 

"  Nonsense  !  He  is  too  old  for  that  sort  of 
thing." 

"  I  can  think  of  nothing  else,  except  that  he 
has  gone  mad." 

"  And  here  we  have  the  father  of  the  young 


THE   GOVERNOR   OF  ROME.  30 1 

woman,  who  seems  to  be  a  very  resolute  man, 
and  who  proposes  to  lead  in  person  a  force  suf- 
ficient to  surprise  Leone  and  his  band  in  their 
fastness,  having  learned  the  way  to  it  when  he 
was  first  taken.  I  have  no  excuse  for  refusing  ; 
but  what  will  be  the  consequences,  if  he  should 
succeed  in  arresting  Leone  ?  "  inquired  the  gov- 
ernor with  an  anxious  look. 

The  other  reflected  very  seriously  for  a  time, 
then,  exchanging  a  meaning  glance  with  his 
superior,  replied  slowly,  — 

"  Leone  must  not  be  taken  alive !  " 

"  Of  course  not :  it  would  be  very  dangerous. 
But  how  is  it  to  be  avoided  ? " 

"  That  is  easily  managed.  Besides,  Leone  is 
not  the  man  to  allow  himself  to  be  caught  nap- 
ping. This  American  little  knows  with  whom 
he  has  to  deal.  He  may  lose  his  own  life  in 
the  attempt ;  but  that  is  his  lookout.  The 
thing  has  come  to  such  a  pass,  that  the  band 
must  be  arrested ;  and  we  had  better  get  the 
credit  of  it  by  our  prompt  action.  I  am  sorry 
for  Leone,"  he  continued,  looking  slyly  at  the 
governor ;  "  but  he  has  brought  it  upon  himself. 
He  should  not  have  meddled  with  women,  espe- 


302  LEONE. 

cially  foreigners.  Leave  the  direction  of  the 
affair  to  me  ;  and  by  to-morrow  we  will  have  the 
whole  band  in  our  power,  and  Leone  disposed 
of." 

"  What  force  will  you  need  ? " 

"No  gens-d'armes,  monsignore.  I  dare  not 
trust  them  too  far.  Place  a  regiment  of  regu- 
lar troops  under  my  orders ;  and  out  of  them  I 
will  select  an  officer  and  some  fifty  picked  men 
to  go  with  this  American  to-night,  to  surprise 
the  band  :  with  the  rest  I  will  proceed  to  Son- 
nino,  to  prevent  any  attempt  to  liberate  the 
men  when  brought  in  as  prisoners ;  for  they 
have  their  wives  and  sweethearts,  their  relatives 
and  confederates,  who,  unless  overawed  by  a 
superior  force,  might  attempt  a  rescue.  And, 
if  Leone  should  not  get  killed  in  the  surprise 
of  the  Castellaccio,  I  will  manage  somehow  or 
other  to  dispose  of  him  afterwards." 

The  governor  thought  the  matter  over,  then 
somewhat  reluctantly  assented.  "  Very  well :  I 
see  no  better  way  out  of  it.  I  will  settle  the 
matter  with  the  American  ;  and  you,  meanwhile, 
prepare  the  necessary  orders  for  the  military 
operations." 


THE   GOVERNOR   OF  ROME.  303 

He  took  a  large  pinch  of  snuff  from  his  sub- 
ordinate's box,  and,  carefully  brushing  away  the 
dust  from  his  violet  robe,  re-entered  the  room 
where  Mr.  Norman  and  the  consul  were  impa- 
tiently waiting.  He  resumed  his  seat,  and,  with 
a  courteous  smile,  addressed  Mr.  Norman. 

"  I  have  arranged  with  the  chief  of  police 
for  your  proposed  undertaking;  and  we  have 
agreed  to  allow  you  to  lead  a  party  of  troops  to 
surprise  Leone  and  his  band  in  their  hiding 
place,  and  release  your  daughter.  The  chief 
himself  will  proceed  to  Sonnino  to-night,  with  a 
regiment  to  support  your  movement.  He  will 
call  upon  you,  as  soon  as  he  has  given  the 
proper  orders,  to  make  the  final  arrangements ; 
and  I  trust  that  the  undertaking  will  be  suc- 
cessful. It  will  be  a  great  honor  and  credit 
to  you,  Mr.  Norman,  if,  by  your  means,  this 
ferocious  band,  that  has  infested  the  Roman 
States  for  so  many  years,  should  be  broken 
up." 

"  I  have  not  the  slightest  doubt  of  my  suc- 
cess, governor,  if  I  have  the  right  sort  of  men." 

"You  will  have  a  picked  company,  with  a 
brave  officer,  from  the  regular  army." 


304  LEONE. 

"  Very  well,  sir :  I  shall  be  in  Signer  Vale- 
rio's  studio,  and  at  your  orders,  for  the  rest  of 
the  day,"  said  Mr.  Norman,  giving  the  address. 
He  and  the  consul  rose  to  depart ;  and  the 
governor  escorted  them  politely  to  the  door, 
saying  to  the  consul,  "  I  hope  you  will  report 
to  your  government  the  prompt  action  I  have 
taken  in  this  affair,  and  that  I  have  placed  the 
whole  power  of  the  government  at  your  dis- 
posal for  the  protection  of  the  American  trav- 
ellers in  our  States.  I  will  also  inform  you 
to-morrow  of  the  success  of  the  expedition,  as 
soon  as  the  messages  which  I  shall  arrange  for 
reach  me." 

The  consul  thanked  him  in  the  name  of  his 
government,  and  they  took  their  leave. 

As  the  usher  closed  the  door,  the  smile  died 
away  from  the  governor's  face.  He  paced  up 
and  down  the  room  several  times ;  then,  paus- 
ing before  a  superb  antique  cabinet,  richly 
carved,  he  opened  a  drawer  which  was  filled 
with  rolls  of  gold  coin,  and,  thoughtfully  shak- 
ing his  head,  muttered,  "  It  is  too  bad,  too  bad ! 
He  has  been  faithful  to  a  fault,  and  very  liberal. 
Here  is  the  money  he  sent  me  only  a  few  days 


THE   GOVERNOR   OF  ROME.  305 

ago ;  and  now,  before  even  I  had  time  to  invest 
it,  I  have  had  to  consent  to  his  disposal.  It  is 
really  too  bad !  What  on  earth  put  it  into  his 
head  to  meddle  with  a  woman,  and,  worse,  a 
foreigner  ?  I  had  no  alternative :  he  made  him- 
self too  dangerous,  and  must  pay  the  penalty 
of  his  imprudence.  Mors  tua,  vita  ntea"  He 
closed  the  money-drawer  carefully,  as  he  quoted 
the  Latin  in  his  priestly  way,  and  sat  down  at 
his  desk  again,  absorbed  in  deep  thought. 


Valeric  waited  and  waited  in  the  hall,  re- 
peatedly accosted  by  some  of  the  motley  crowd 
of  priests  and  nondescripts ;  and,  from  their 
curious  questionings,  he  came  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  they  were  all  government  spies,  nuns 
included.  Finally  he  seated  himself  in  a  cor- 
ner, and  refused  to  speak  to  any  one,  disgusted 
at  finding  himself  in  such  detestable  company. 
Never  was  man  more  glad,  on  the  re-appear- 
ance of  the  consul  and  Mr.  Norman,  to  get 
away  from  that  ominous  locality.  After  leav- 
ing the  consul  at  his  office,  Mr.  Norman  accom- 
panied Valeric  to  his  studio,  where  he  had  left 
his  valise,  not  caring  to  return  to  his  old  lodg- 


306  LEONE. 

ings  without  Edith.  There  he  related  to  him 
the  arrangements  entered  into  with  the  gov- 
ernor, and  then  explained  the  means  by  which 
he  expected  to  get  at  the  cave  of  Leone. 

"  You  see,  when  they  blindfolded  us,  I  could 
still  perceive  this  compass ;  and  with  this  pen- 
cil," showing  them  to  Valeric,  still  hanging  on 
his  watch-chain,  "  I  marked  the  bearings,  and 
the  number  of  steps,  on  my  cuffs,  and  here 
it  is."  He  took  out  the  paper  he  had  been 
drawing  upon,  that  evening  after  their  return, 
which  had  so  puzzled  Valeric,  and  showed  him 
the  sort  of  map  he  had  made,  with  the  bearings 
and  distances  all  marked,  concluding,  "And 
with  this  I  am  positive  that  we  can  catch  them 
unawares,  and  arrest  the  whole  lot." 

Valeric  opened  his  eyes  wide  at  this  explana- 
tion, and  said  to  himself,  "I  always  thought 
that  these  Americani  were  queer  people ;  but  I 
am  beginning  to  find  out  that  they  are  as 
'cute'  (furbi)  as  Lucifer." 

"  You  will  go  with  us  ? "  asked  Mr.  Norman. 

"Why,  of  course,"  replied  Valeric,  without 
thinking  of  the  danger.  Soon  after,  the  chief 
of  police,  with  the  army  officer  who  was  to 


THE   GOVERNOR   OF  ROME.  307 

command  the  picked  men,  called  on  Mr.  Nor- 
man, and  they  arranged  the  details  of  the  ex- 
pedition. When  they  left,  Mr.  Norman  took 
Valerio  to  a  shooting-gallery,  and  practised  for 
a  while  with  his  revolver,  saying,  "This  time 
I  will  have  my  weapon  with  me."  Valerio  also, 
at  his  suggestion,  but  without  much  relish  for 
it,  did  the  same. 


308  LEGATE. 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

THE   IMPROVISED    CHART. 

TT  was  only  after  dark  that  the  army  officer, 
-*-  who  had  been  detailed  to  act  under  Mr. 
Norman's  orders,  came,  accompanied  by  an 
orderly,  to  fetch  him  and  Valeric  in  a  travel- 
ling-carriage, with  relays  of  fresh  horses  or- 
dered all  along  the  road.  The  rest  of  the 
command  had  been  despatched  at  different 
hours  and  by  different  routes,  so  as  not  to 
arouse  suspicion,  to  rendezvous  about  two  in 
the  morning  at  the  chapel  on  the  Castellaccio 
slope  of  the  Sonnino  mountain.  They  were 
ordered  not  even  to  pass  through  the  village,  — 
for  any  such  movement  of  troops  would  have 
been  at  once  notified  to  the  band  by  some  of 
their  numerous  adherents,  called  manutengoli% 
—  but  to  proceed  through  by-paths,  to  the  ap- 
pointed place.  The  larger  body  of  men,  how- 
ever, under  the  orders  of  the  chief  of  police, 


THE  IMPROVISED   CHART.  309 

had  been  drawn  from  a  garrison  in  a  neighbor- 
ing town,  whence  they  were  to  march  on  Son- 
nino  so  as  to  reach  it  at  daylight ;  and  the  chief 
of  police  left  Rome  in  the  afternoon  to  take 
command  of  them. 

Our  party  travelled  very  quickly,  Mr.  Nor- 
man, exhausted  by  the  excitement  and  fatigues 
of  the  day,  trying  to  sleep  in  the  carriage ;  but 
the  thought  of  poor  Edith,  her  anxiety,  and  her 
fears,  constantly  roused  him  as  often  as  he  fell 
into  a  doze,  while  Valerio  spent  the  time  think- 
ing what  a  scrape  he  had  got  into,  and  what  a 
miracle  it  would  be  if  he  got  out  of  it  without 
a  bullet  in  his  head,  winding  up  his  foreboding 
thought  always  with  the  exclamation,  "  Oh, 
why  could  not  that  girl  have  fallen  in  love 
with  me !  All  this  trouble  would  have  been 
avoided." 

An  hour  or  so  after  midnight  they  reached 
Sonnino.  They  did  not  enter  the  village,  but 
stopped  at  the  police-station  just  outside  of  it, 
where  they  found  donkeys  and  a  guide  awaiting 
them  ;  and,  proceeding  to  the  little  chapel,  they 
found  the  command  already  assembled.  Mr. 
Norman  had  explained  to  the  officer  his  plan 


310  LEONE. 

of  action,  but  they  thought  it  best  not  to  men- 
tion it  to  the  soldiers  until  the  moment  of 
starting.  The  men,  instead  of  their  uniforms, 
wore  hunting-costumes,  provided  by  the  gov- 
ernor, so  as  to  attract  less  attention  if  met  by 
the  peasants,  and  were  armed  only  with  short 
carbines  and  revolvers.  They  rested  here 
some  time ;  Mr.  Norman  calculating  the  dis- 
tance, so  as  to  reach  the  summit  just  before 
dawn.  When  he  gave  the  word,  leading  the 
way  with  a  dark  lantern,  they  followed  him  up 
to  the  level  place  where  they  had  been  seized 
by  the  brigands :  there  he  took  out  his  map 
and  compass,  and  began  the  steep  ascent,  care- 
fully counting  every  step,  followed,  single  file, 
by  the  officer,  Valerio,  and  the  long  line  of  sol- 
diers, who  sometimes,  in  the  quick  turns  and 
windings  of  the  path,  formed  a  triangle,  or  a 
zigzag,  and  frequently  even  crossed  the  lines 
already  traversed ;  for  the  brigands,  besides 
blindfolding  their  prisoners,  had  purposely 
walked  about  in  all  directions,  in  order  to  be- 
wilder them.  The  men  moved  silently,  and 
with  every  precaution  against  unnecessary 
noise.  On  one  of  these  windings,  however,  Mr. 


THE  IMPROVISED   CHART.  31! 

Norman  came  upon  a  sheep  that  happened  to 
be  sleeping  in  the  path  :  it  started  up  affrighted, 
and,  waking  several  others  sleeping  near,  the 
whole  flock  started  down  the  declivity.  Mr. 
Norman  turned  his  lantern  towards  them,  and 
luckily  the  flash  fell  upon  a  shepherd-boy,  who 
had  also  been  aroused,  and  was  creeping  away 
upon  all  fours  to  escape  detection.  "  Stop ! 
Stop  that  boy !  "  cried  Mr.  Norman  in  a  louder 
voice  (for  hitherto  they  had  spoken  only  in 
whispers),  and  levelled  his  revolver  at  him. 
Two  or  three  soldiers  ran  after  him,  with  their 
carbines  pointed,  and  brought  him  to  a  stand. 
He  looked  bewildered,  and  trembled  with  fright 
at  the  sudden  surprise ;  but  Mr.  Norman,  re- 
membering that  they  had  met  such  a  boy  when 
they  were  first  captured,  ordered  them  to  keep 
him  under  guard  at  the  rear,  and  to  watch  that 
he  should  not  give  warning  to  the  outlaws, 
whose  hiding-place  was  now  so  near.  It  was 
a  most  fortunate  circumstance ;  for,  if  that  boy 
had  escaped  them,  they  would  have  found  a 
marksman  behind  every  projecting  rock  on  the 
summit  of  Castellaccio,  and  not  a  man  of  them 
would  have  reached  it  alive.  Half  an  hour 


3  1 2  LEONE. 

later  they  reached  the  space  at  the  top  ;  and 
Mr.  Norman,  still  carefully  counting  his  steps, 
reached  the  opposite  side,  close  to  a  rocky  cliff. 
He  stopped,  whispering  to  the  officer,  "  Here 
must  be  the  entrance  to  the  cave." 

The  officer  looked  about,  saying,  "  But  I  see 
nothing  but  solid  rock  here."  Valerio  and  the 
soldiers,  as  they  came  crowding  up,  looked  all 
around,  but  could  discover  neither  entrance  nor 
sign  of  an  opening,  not  even  a  crevice  in  the 
rocks. 

Mr.  Norman  wavered  for  a  moment,  think- 
ing, "  Could  I  have  made  a  miscalculation  ? " 
He  examined  his  map  again  most  carefully,  and 
said,  "  No  !  I  cannot  be  mistaken  :  the  entrance 
must  be  here."  And  he  lightly  struck  the  rock 
before  him  with  a  stick  which  he  had  in  his 
hand.  To  the  surprise  of  all,  it  gave  a  hollow 
sound.  At  this,  fully  convinced  of  his  correct- 
ness, he  continued,  "  I  know  it  is  here ;  and 
there  must  be  a  door  or  gate  to  it,  for  I  heard 
the  hinges  grate.  But  let  us  wait  for  daylight, 
and  rest  a  while,  to  get  our  breath  after  such  a 
steep  climb."  They  all  sat  down  among  the 
rocks,  waiting  for  the  coming  dawn,  and  taking 


THE  IMPROVISED   CHART.  313 

a  draught  from  their  flasks,  for  the  night  air 
bit  shrewdly  at  that  elevation. 

They  had  not  long  to  wait.  Soon  surround- 
ing objects  began  to  grow  distinct.  The  sun 
tinged  with  gold  the  peaks  of  the  higher  moun- 
tains around :  it  would  soon  illumine  the 
ragged  cliffs  where  they  were  sitting.  At  this 
moment  Mr.  Norman  noticed  the  shepherd-boy, 
who  sat  shivering  with  cold  and  fright  between 
two  soldiers. 

"  That  boy  ought  to  know ;  for  I  am  sure  he 
is  the  one  we  met  down  there  a  short  time 
before  we  were  attacked  that  first  time,"  whis- 
pered he  to  the  officer. 

"  Whether  the  same  or  not,  it  makes  no  dif- 
ference :  these  mountain  shepherds  are  all  in 
connivance  with  the  brigands.  I  will  manage 
him,  and  force  him  to  divulge  the  secret." 

He  went  up  to  the  boy,  and,  pointing  his 
revolver  at  his  head,  said  in  a  low  but  threat- 
ening tone,  — 

"There  is  an  entrance  to  a  cave  here,  and 
you  know  where  it  is.  Tell  me  how  to  open 
it,  or  I  will  send  a  bullet  through  your  head." 

The  terrified  boy,  pale  and  trembling,  cried, 
"  O  captain  !  I  do  not  know  "  — 


LEONE. 

The  officer  instantly  stopped  his  mouth  with 
his  left  hand,  whispering,  "  Hist !  Another 
loud  word,  and  I  will  kill  you  !  Speak  by  signs, 
and  point  out  the  place  where  the  entrance  is." 

"  They  will  murder  me  !  "  gasped  the  boy. 

"You  will  be  dead  long  before  they  can 
reach  you,  for  I  will  kill  you  now"  replied  the 
officer,  cocking  his  revolver,  and  putting  the 
muzzle  against  the  boy's  head.  The  click  of 
the  lock,  and  the  cold  touch  of  the  steel,  acted 
like  an  electric  shock :  he  fell  on  his  knees, 
crying,  "  Oh,  don't  kill  me  !  Don't  kill  me  !  " 

"Then  point  out  the  entrance,"  said  the 
officer,  with  such  a  fierce  look,  that  the  boy 
felt  that  his  last  hour  had  come,  unless  he 
obeyed.  He  rose,  and  staggered  towards  the 
rock  which  Mr.  Norman  had  struck,  the  officer 
holding  him  by  the  neck,  and  still  keeping  the 
cocked  revolver  so  as  to  touch  his  face.  He 
put  one  foot  on  the  turf  covering  the  ground 
close  to  the  ledge,  as  if  feeling  for  something. 
Having  found  what  he  sought,  he  placed  the 
other  foot  on  a  slight  mound  of  turf ;  and  the 
moment  the  weight  of  his  body  rested  wholly 
on  it,  to  the  astonishment  of  every  one,  the 


THE  IMPROVISED   CHART.  315 

huge,  projecting  rock  that  stood  on  the  iron 
frame  slowly  moved  aside,  and  displayed  the 
wide  entrance  to  the  cave. 

"  I  knew  it  was  here,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Norman 
in  triumph.  The  orders  had  already  been  given 
regarding  the  attack  within  the  cave.  Mr. 
Norman  and  the  officer  were  to  lead,  revolvers 
in  hand :  all  the  men  were  to  follow,  similarly 
armed,  their  carbines,  too  bulky  for  such  hand- 
to-hand  fighting,  strapped  over  their  shoulders. 
When  through  the  long,  dark  passage,  at  a 
signal  from  their  leaders,  they  were  to  spring 
into  the  several  grottos,  which  by  that  time 
would  be  light  enough,  and  each  two  seize  their 
man  before  he  had  time  to  resist.  A  sergeant, 
with  four  or  five  men,  was  left  to  guard  the 
entrance,  and  to  arrest  or  shoot  down  any  one 
attempting  to  escape.  The  officer  left  the 
shepherd-boy  in  charge  of  these  men,  with 
orders  to  liberate  him  before  they  brought  out 
their  prisoners ;  for  they  knew  that  it  would  be 
certain  death  to  him,  if  the  brigands,  or  any  of 
their  adherents,  should  learn  that  he  had  even 
an  unwilling  hand  in  their  betrayal.  This  being 
settled,  they  silently  and  cautiously  entered  the 


316  LEONE. 

grotto,  whose  soft  turf  floor  deadened  the  sound 
of  their  feet,  Mr.  Norman  using  the  dark-lantern 
carefully,  so  as  to  throw  no  light  before  him, 
but  merely  now  and  then  showing  the  well- 
worn  path  to  the  interior  of  the  cave.1 

1  That  the  means  employed  by  Mr.  Norman  to  trace  the  hiding- 
place  of  the  brigands  may  not  appear  exaggerated,  the  author  will 
relate  the  following  occurrence,  which  suggested  to  him  this  part  of  the 
plot : — 

During  the  revolution  of  1848  in  Sicily,  when  all  the  prisons  had 
been  opened,  and  their  inmates  let  loose,  Mr.  John  Barlow,  an  Eng- 
lishman, member  of  the  firm  of  Woodhouse  &  Co.,  the  famous  manu- 
facturers of  Marsala  wine  and  consular  agent  of  the  United  States  a-t 
Marsala,  going  from  one  estate  to  another,  about  seven  miles  from  the 
city  was  captured  by  masked  men,  blindfolded,  made  to  walk  about  in 
various  directions  for  a  mile  or  more,  and  then  shut  up  in  a  dark  room 
of  some  cottage  or  farmhouse.  There  they  forced  him,  under  threats, 
to  write  an  order  for  a  ransom  of  many  thousands  of  dollars,  which 
was  paid  the  same  night ;  and  the  next  day  he  was  released,  with 
similar  precautions,  at  a  different  place  from  where  he  had  been  cap- 
tured. Mr.  Barlow,  having,  by  chance,  a  pencil  and  compass  among 
some  charms  on  his  watch-chain,  used  the  means  described  in  the  text 
to  trace  his  course.  For  further  evidence,  he  had  written  in  his  order 
to  Woodhouse  &  Co.,  "  marked  silver  dollars,"  which  they  understood, 
and,  before  payment,  employed  the  whole  clerical  force  in  their  count- 
ing-room to  mark  the  silver  dollars,  the  usual  currency  of  those  days. 
The  very  next  day  after  his  release,  Mr.  Barlow  went  out  with  a  strong 
police  force,  and,  by  means  of  his  compass  and  the  distances  he  had 
noted  down,  traced  his  way  to  a  farmhouse,  and  to  the  very  room  in 
which  he  had  been  confined.  The  inmates  were  arrested ;  a  part  of 
the  money  found,  and  recognized  by  the  mark  made  in  one  of  the 
letters  of  the  coins ;  and  eventually,  by  means  of  the  mark,  the  other 
parties  implicated  in  the  crime  were  also  arrested  and  convicted. 


A   NIGHT  AMONG    THE  BRIGANDS.      317 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

A   NIGHT   AMONG   THE   BRIGANDS. 

1  "PITH,  after  her  first  attempt  to  scream  for 
•• — '  help,  had  sunk  to  the  bottom  of  the  car- 
riage, as  it  dashed  along,  overcome  with  terror 
and  distress,  knowing  well  the  hopelessness  of 
resistance.  The  mention  of  her  innamorato  by 
the  two  women  had,  in  a  measure,  re-assured 
her,  proving  that  no  personal  violence  was 
intended.  But  what  had  become  of  her  father  ? 
Had  he  been  taken  captive  by  the  other  mem- 
bers of  the  band  ?  She  had  not  been  able  to 
see  what  took  place  after  she  was  dragged  from 
his  arms,  and  driven  off  at  such  a  rapid  pace. 
It  was  the  first  time  in  her  life  that  she  had 
been  separated  from  him,  and  under  what  cir- 
cumstances, —  she  in  the  hands  of  criminals ! 
for,  kind  as  the  two  women  were  to  her,  they 
were  mere  tools  in  the  hands  of  their  savage 
and  lawless  husbands.  The  word  "innamorato" 


318  LEGNE. 

still  rang  in  her  ears  ;  and,  though  she  felt  that 
Silvio  could  never  have  had  any  hand  in  such 
an  outrage,  yet  his  own  father  was  the  principal 
author  of  it,  and  for  what  purpose  ?  "  Does 
Leone  expect  to  compel  me  to  marry  his  son 
by  force  ?  Or,  because  I  refused  to  marry  him, 
does  he  avenge  himself  by  exacting  some  large 
ransom  for  me  from  my  father?"  Her  thoughts 
wandered  in  fear  and  doubt  ;  and  tears  often 
filled  her  eyes,  while  the  two  women  tried  to 
console  her  with  assurances  of  kind  treatment. 
In  the  afternoon  they  arrived  at  the  foot  of 
the  Sonnino  mountain,  though  on  the  opposite 
slope  from  the  village,  and,  having  obtained  a 
donkey  for  Edith,  began  the  ascent.  When 
they  reached  a  certain  elevation,  they  blind- 
folded her,  as  before,  and  did  not  remove  the 
bandage  until  they  were  in  the  cave.  Marcia 
and  Clelia  improvised  a  sort  of  private  room  for 
her  under  the  direction  of  Leone  himself,  who, 
when  Edith  was  brought  in,  had  welcomed  her 
most  courteously.  "  Now,  my  dear  young  lady, 
once  here  again,  you  are  as  safe  as  in  your 
father's  house ;  and,  before  long,  you  will  be 
happy  with  Silvio." 


A   NIGHT  AMONG    THE  BRIGANDS.       319 

At  the  mention  of  her  father,  poor  Edith 
burst  into  tears. 

"  Oh,  my  poor  father  !  What  has  become  of 
him  ?  Is  he  taken  also  ?  Oh,  how  anxious  he 
must  be  about  me  !  " 

"  Fear  not,  dear  lady  :  he  is  probably  in  Rome 
again  by  this  time  ;  and  you  will  rejoin  him  as 
soon  as  we  have  come  to  terms." 

"  But  what  do  you  mean  to  do  with  me  ?  " 

"Why,  marry  you  to  Silvio,  whom  you  love," 
replied  Leone,  anxious  to  cheer  her  up.  "  But 
hush,  hush  !  we  will  talk  of  this  by  and  by. 
You  must  be  tired  and  hungry :  so  you  had 
better  rest  and  dine  first,  and  then  we  will  have 
a  long  talk  about  it." 

Edith  compelled  herself  to  sit  down  quietly, 
while  he  continued  to  direct  the  arrangement 
of  her  quarters  for  the  night,  which  was  fast 
approaching.  They  fastened  rope-lines  across 
the  grotto,  enclosing  the  large  opening  which 
commanded  such  a  beautiful  view  of  the  slope 
of  the  mountain,  and,  by  hangings  of  shawls 
and  blankets,  separated  it  from  the  rest  of  the 
large  cave.  They  brought  in  Leone's  low  camp- 
bed,  making  it  up  with  clean  linen  sheets  and 


320  LEONE. 

blankets,  and  over  all  a  coverlet  of  fleecy  sheep- 
skins. Above  this,  Leone,  with  his  own  hands, 
hung  the  picture  of  Silvio's  mother,  saying, 
"It  will  be  as  good  as  a  Madonna  to  protect 
your  sleep ;  and  at  the  same  time  it  will  remind 
you  of  Silvio.  Is  he  not  her  very  image  ?  "  and 
he  called  her  attention  to  it.  Edith  watched  it 
for  a  long  time ;  and  her  fears  and  apprehen- 
sions gradually  subsided,  as  she  noticed  how 
Leone's  stern,  fierce  expression  melted  into 
sadness  and  softness  as  he  gazed  upon  it.  As 
it  grew  dark,  they  brought  in  lamps,  and  a 
simple  but  well-cooked  dinner,  to  which  Leone, 
with  a  refinement  of  politeness  she  had  not 
ventured  to  expect,  left  her  alone.  She  was 
now  sufficiently  tranquillized  to  eat  with  some- 
thing of  a  relish,  while  she  listened  to  the 
preparations  made  for  the  dinner  of  the  band, 
who  kept  arriving  by  twos  and  threes,  talking 
over  the  events  of  the  day.  After  she  had  fin- 
ished her  repast,  Leone  came  again,  and  quietly 
seated  himself  at  the  table  opposite  her  for 
their  promised  conference. 

"  My  dear  young  lady,  to  you  this  must  seem 
very  harsh  treatment ;  but  I  had  no  alternative : 


A   NIGHT  AMONG    THE  BRIGANDS.       $21 

your  father  was  so  obstinate,  he  would  not 
listen  to  reason." 

"  My  father  !  "  exclaimed  Edith  with  surprise. 

"Yes,  your  father.  I  had  a  long  conversa- 
tion with  him  yesterday,  and  endeavored  to 
persuade  him  to  delay  his  departure  from  Italy. 
I  told  him  that  events  might  take  place  before 
long  that  would  make  him  alter  his  determina- 
tion, and  allow  you  to  marry  Silvio ;  but  he 
would  listen  to  nothing.  He  insulted  me  as  no 
other  man  would  have  dared  insult  Leone  :  he 
even  refused  to  let  me  speak  with  you,  as  I 
wished,  hoping  to  be  able  to  make  you  feel 
differently  towards  me.  I  had  no  resource  left, 
therefore,  but  to  act  as  I  have  done,  to  insure 
Silvio's  happiness,  and  your  own  too,  for  I 
know  you  love  him." 

Edith  was  much  surprised  that  her  father  had 
said  nothing  to  her  of  all  this  :  it  was  the  first 
time  that  he  had  ever  kept  any  thing  from  her, 
but  she  felt  that  he  had  done  it  to  save  her 
anxiety. 

"  My  father  did  it  in  kindness  to  me.  What 
good  would  it  have  done  ?  Our  decision  once 
made,  it  was  better  to  leave  Italy." 


322  LEONE. 

"  Your  decision  ?  Did  you  not  break  off 
your  engagement  in  obedience  to  your  father's 
wishes  ? " 

"  No :  my  father  never  said  a  word  to  me, 
not  even  of  advice.  I  did  it  from  my  own  sense 
of  what  was  right.  He  approved  of  it,  and  so 
did  Silvio." 

Leone  fixed  his  piercing  eyes  on  her  with  an 
astonished  look  ;  then  he  asked  gently,  — 

"  You  loved  Silvio  ?  " 

"  Yes,  with  all  my  heart.  I  love  him  now," 
replied  Edith  with  deep  feeling ;  "  but  I  will 
never  marry  "  —  She  hesitated,  not  daring  to 
finish  the  sentence,  and  almost  wondering  how 
she  had  been  bold  enough  to  say  so  much.  But 
Leone,  shaking  his  head  with  a  melancholy  ex- 
pression, finished  it  for  her,  — 

"  The  son  of  a  brigand  !  Your  love  must  be 
different  from  that  of  us  Italians.  An  Italian 
woman,  if  she  loved,  would  be  blind  to  all  such 
considerations.  But  be  it  as  it  may,  if  I  am 
the  only  obstacle,  I  will  repeat  to  you  what  I 
said  to  your  father.  I  have  no  legal  claim  over 
Silvio  :  he  is,  in  law,  the  ward  of  Father  Fran- 
cesco, and  Silvio  di  Montalba  by  Papal  dispen- 


A   NIGHT  AMONG    THE  BRIGANDS.      323 

sation.  Marry  him,  and  leave  Italy.  Go  to 
France,  to  America :  nobody  will  know  that  he 
is  related  to  me.  I  will  not  come  near  you,  if 
you  wish :  it  is  sufficient  for  me  to  know  that 
the  son  of  my  Silvia  is  happy.  In  after  years, 
when  I  have  redeemed  my  name,  you  may  come 
to  think  better  of  Leone  :  you  may  even  have 
some  affection  for  him.  Silvio  surely  will,  for 
the  sake  of  his  mother,"  he  continued,  fixing 
his  eyes  on  the  portrait  that  hung  opposite ; 
"  for  she  loved  me.  Oh,  how  she  loved  me  ! 
Look  at  her  :  do  not  her  eyes  speak  love  ?"' 

Edith  turned  to  look  at  the  portrait ;  and,  in 
the  dim  light  thrown  by  the  oil-lamps  through 
the  darkness  of  the  grotto,  the  face  of  Silvia 
stood  out,  her  eyes  sparkling  with  a  tender, 
life-like  lustre.  She  watched  it  earnestly  for 
a  while,  for  it  was  Silvio's  face,  then  turned 
slowly  to  Leone  again,  and  saw  that  he  was 
absorbed  in  gazing  at  it.  She  caught  for  the 
first  time  that  repentant,  sorrowful  look  she 
had  so  often  noticed  in  Silvio's  St.  Jerome,  her 
artist's  eye  recognizing  at  once  that  he  had 
been  the  model  for  it.  Long  she  remained 
silent,  studying  that  striking,  lion-like  face, 


324  LEONE. 

hitherto  a  source  of  dread  to  her,  now  so  com- 
pletely changed  as  to  inspire  pity  rather  than 
fear.  Her  past  terror  at  the  presence  of  this 
fierce  man  gradually  died  away  ;  and  she  gently 
addressed  him  in  sweet,  pleading  accents,  — 

"  Leone,  I  have  no  ill  feeling  against  you.  I 
have  no  doubt  that  you  acted  as  you  did,  sup- 
posing that  I  was  forced  by  my  father  to  break 
off  my  engagement.  But  it  was  not  so  :  it  was 
my  own  doing.  Now  that  you  know  that,  you 
will  restore  me  to  my  father  to-morrow.  Poor 
father  !  How  dreadfully  he  must  be  feeling  !  " 
and  tears  came  to  her  eyes.  She  continued 
earnestly,  "  You  will  do  this  for  Silvio's  sake ; 
for  I  know  he  would  never  have  consented  to 
such  violence  ;  for  his  mother's  sake  "  — 

"  Hush,  hush  ! "  interrupted  Leone,  but  with 
a  gentle,  coaxing  expression.  "I  have  sent 
for  Silvio,  and  he  will  be  here  to-morrow.  When 
I  have  convinced  him,  he  will  persuade  you : 
you  will  consent  to  marry  him." 

"  No,  Leone,  that  will  never  be." 

"  Oh,  yes,  it  will !  yes,  it  will ! "  reiterated 
Leone  with  a  persuasive  smile,  as  if  sure  of 
what  he  said.  "If  all  other  arguments  fail,  I 


A   NIGHT  AMONG    THE  BRIGANDS.      325 

will  say  a  word  in  your  ear  —  but  to  you  only  — 
that  will  make  you  change  your  mind." 

He  said  this  without  the  least  indication  of 
a  threat,  but  kindly,  almost  affectionately,  like 
one  who  has  a  joyful  surprise  in  store ;  and  so 
Edith  understood  it,  thinking,  in  some  wonder, 
what  could  it  be  ?  But  Leone  rose  to  end  the 
conversation :  he  took  her  hand  in  his,  for  she 
dared  not  refuse  it,  and  said,  — 

"  Good-night,  dear  lady ;  and  have  no  fear : 
you  are  as  safe  here  as  in  your  father's  arms. 
If  you  wish  for  any  thing,  Marcia  and  Clelia 
are  outside  to  wait  upon  you,  and  I  shall  be 
within  hearing.  No  one  can  disturb  you ;  and 
Silvio's  mother  is  watching  over  you  like  a 
Madonna"  (and  again  he  gave  a  longing  look 
at  the  portrait),  "and  that  will  make  you  think 
of  Silvio,  and  dream  of  him.  Good-night." 
And,  kissing  her  hand  with  the  gallantry  of 
youth,  he  left  her  alone,  carefully  arranging 
the  hangings  with  his  own  hands,  so  as  to 
isolate  her  completely  from  the  rest. 

Edith  looked  around  the  strange  place  in 
which  she  was  left  alone.  The  conversation 
with  Leone  had  made  a  deep  impression  on  her 


326  LEONE. 

mind.  Her  fears  had  almost  entirely  vanished  ; 
but,  in  like  measure,  her  wonder  had  increased. 
Who  was  this  formidable  man,  who  could  be 
as  fierce  as  a  lion,  and  yet  as  gentle  as  a  dove  ? 
It  occurred  to  her,  that,  though  he  called  Silvio 
his  son,  and  Silvia  the  woman  he  loved,  yet 
he  had  never  said,  "  My  wife  ! "  What  mys- 
tery was  hidden  under  it  ?  What  did  his  last 
words  of  encouragement  imply  ?  What  could 
he  say,  that  would  make  her  alter  her  resolu- 
tion ?  These  and  similar  thoughts  pressed  upon 
her  mind ;  and  she  sat  long  at  the  table,  hearing 
the  distant  talk  and  laughter  of  the  men  and 
women,  who  seemed  to  be  carousing  in  some 
of  the  farther  grottos.  Little  by  little  these 
sounds  died  away,  and  every  thing  was  still. 
She  had  resolved  at  first  not  to  lie  down  ;  but 
the  night  air,  coming  in  from  the  large  opening 
through  which  she  could  see  the  bright  stars 
of  a  clear  Italian  autumn  night,  made  her  shiver 
with  cold,  though  she  was  in  warm  travelling- 
dress.  So,  leaving  only  one  light  burning,  she 
lay  down,  dressed  as  she  was,  on  the  cot,  cover- 
ing herself  with  the  heavy  sheep-skin,  that  in 
a  few  moments  warmed  her  thoroughly.  She 


A   NIGHT  AMONG    THE  BRIGANDS.       327 

did  not  mean  to  go  to  sleep :  a  lingering  appre- 
hension of  the  place  she  was  in,  and  the  people 
by  whom  she  was  surrounded,  still  hung  about 
her ;  and  she  lay  a  long  time  tracing  the  strange 
shadows  cast  by  the  dim  light  on  the  damp 
rocks  above  her  head,  and  watching  the  pris- 
matic glitter  of  their  rough  surfaces.  Then 
she  looked  at  the  portrait  of  Silvio's  mother  ; 
and  that  brought  before  her  mind,  as  in  a 
panorama,  the  successive  strange  events  that 
had  taken  place,  first  distinctly,  then  confus- 
edly, till  tired  nature  could  resist  no  longer ; 
and,  in  spite  of  her  resolution,  she  fell  fast 
asleep.  Exhausted  by  the  fatigue  and  excite- 
ment of  the  day  before,  she  slept  soundly  for 
many  hours,  but  woke  up  with  a  sudden  start, 
and,  remembering  her  determination  to  keep 
awake,  supposed  at  first  that  she  had  only 
dozed  a  while.  But  she  felt  quite  rested ;  and 
a  glimmer  of  light  that  reached  her  through 
the  opening  of  the  cave  satisfied  her  that  dawn 
was  approaching.  Fully  resolved  not  to  sleep 
again,  she  opened  her  eyes  wide,  and  almost 
unconsciously  resumed  the  line  of  thought  of 
the  evening  before.  Every  thing  was  silent 


328  LEONE. 

about  her:  not  a  sound,  not  a  murmur,  save 
the  heavy  breathing  of  the  men  asleep  in  the 
different  caves,  and  now  and  then  the  low, 
plaintive  twitter  of  some  Alpine  bird  awaken- 
ing to  the  approaching  morn.  Suddenly,  but 
distinctly,  in  the  deep  silence,  she  heard  through 
the  aperture  a  distant  voice,  crying,  "  Stop ! 
Stop  that  boy ! "  The  words  were  in  Italian  ; 
but  the  voice  and  accent  were  unmistakably  her 
father's.  She  started,  raised  herself  to  a  sit- 
ting posture,  gasping  mentally,  "  My  father !  " 
and  held  her  breath,  anxiously  listening.  Not 
a  sound,  not  a  whisper :  every  thing  was  as 
still  as  before.  She  remained  a  long  time  in 
strained  suspense,  but  finally  sank  again  upon 
her  couch,  saying  to  herself,  "It  must  have 
been  my  imagination."  Daylight  was  already 
beginning  to  appear.  She  closed  her  eyes  to 
concentrate  her  thoughts,  and  had  almost  lost 
herself  again,  when  she  was  suddenly  startled 
by  a  powerful  voice  near  by,  shouting  the  mili- 
tary "  Avanti !  "  repeated  by  another,  which 
she  instantly  recognized  as  her  father's,  followed 
by  the  trampling  of  many  feet,  the  screams  of 
women,  and  mingled  cries  of  "  Surrender,  sur- 


A   NIGHT  AMONG    THE  BRIGANDS.       329 

render!"  and  "Treachery,  treachery!  We  are 
betrayed  !  "  Her  first  impulse  was  to  crouch  in 
terror  under  her  sheep-skins ;  but  her  father's 
voice  roused  her  courage,  and,  springing  from 
the  cot,  she  rushed  across  the  grotto,  and 
hastily  tore  down  some  of  the  hangings.  The 
cave  was  filled  with  armed  men  rushing  about, 
pistol  in  hand,  securing  the  half-dressed  bri- 
gands, who,  surprised  in  their  sleep,  struggled 
to  regain  their  weapons  that  lay  scattered  about, 
but  in  vain,  for  each  one  was  surrounded  by 
two  or  three  soldiers  who  overpowered  and  held 
him  down.  Mr.  Norman,  on  entering,  had 
.hurried  first  to  where  Leone's  bed  had  been  ; 
but,  not  finding  it  in  its  place,  was  about  turning 
in  search  of  him,  when  Leone,  who  had  lain 
down  on  some  mats  on  the  opposite  side,  under 
the  picture  of  St.  Nicholas,  snatched  a  long 
dagger  from  the  group  of  weapons  hanging 
beside  it,  and  rushed  upon  him.  It  would  have 
been  Mr.  Norman's  last  day  on  earth,  had  not 
Edith,  with  a  bound,  thrown  herself  in  Leone's 
way,  and,  clinging  to  his  knees,  cried  out,  "  Oh, 
don't  kill  my  father!  Don't  kill  my  father!" 
At  the  same  moment  the  officer  and  another 


33O  LEONE. 

soldier,  coming  up  behind,  seized  Leone  by  the 
arms,  and,  holding  their  revolvers  at  his  head, 
exclaimed,  "  Surrender  !  "  Leone  let  fall  his 
weapon,  looked  down  compassionately  at  the 
kneeling  girl,  and  then  at  her  father,  who,  with 
an  involuntary  feeling  of  compunction,  stood 
facing  him.  He  said,  "You  owe  your  life  to 
your  blessed  child."  Then  turning  to  the  offi- 
cer with  a  dignified  air,  as  though  he  were  the 
general  of  an  army,  he  said,  "  I  am  your  pris- 
oner." Edith  tottered  to  her  feet  only  to  fall 
senseless  into  the  arms  of  her  father,  who  ten- 
derly carried  her  to  the  couch  from  which  she 
had  sprung  only  a  few  moments  before. 

The  action  took  less  time  than  we  have 
spent  in  narrating  it.  The  banditti  felt  so 
secure  in  their  hiding-place,  that  they  took 
very  few  precautions  against  attack.  Wary  as 
they  were  in  their  distant  depredations,  they 
felt  perfectly  easy  and  at  home  in  their  cave  at 
Castellaccio.  Leone  never  allowed  any  aggres- 
sions in  the  neighborhood  that  might  bring 
suspicions  on  the  locality,  and  throughout  his 
long  career  had  heavily  bribed  both  higher  and 
lower  officials,  so  that  they  had  an  interest  in 


A   NIGHT  AMONG    THE  BRIGANDS.       33! 

keeping  him  from  harm.  The  whole  peasant 
population  of  Sonnino  were  his  friends  and 
manutengoli.  The  shepherds  on  the  mountain 
were  in  his  pay,  and  were  prompt  to  warn  the 
band  of  any  approach  by  suspicious  persons. 
The  entrance  to  the  cave  was  so  constructed 
as  to  deceive  the  most  acute  observer,  and 
nothing  but  the  treachery  of  the  few  who  knew 
the  secret  could  have  revealed  its  position  and 
mode  of  opening ;  so  that,  when  once  within 
it,  and  the  door  closed,  they  feared  no  assault. 
The  ascent  to  it  also  was  so  steep  and  winding 
in  its  single  path,  that,  if  timely  warned,  as 
they  were  sure  to  be,  by  the  shepherds  or  peo- 
ple of  Sonnino,  if  they  saw  any  unusual  move- 
ment of  troops,  they  could  defend  themselves 
for  days  against  a  whole  regiment,  and,  on  some 
dark  night,  slip  away  by  the  many  precipitous 
paths  known  only  to  themselves,  and  escape, 
even  if  the  mountain  were  surrounded  by  an 
army.  For  this  reason,  when  they  had  all 
returned  the  evening  before,  tired  out  with 
their  fatiguing  expedition,  they  had  supped 
abundantly,  and  in  joyful  expectation  of  the 
good  ransom  they  were  to  get  from  the  rich 


332  LEONE, 

foreigner,  —  which  Leone  had  intended  to 
give  them  out  of  his  own  purse,  —  and  gone 
securely  to  the  sleep  from  which  they  were  so 
suddenly  waked  to  find  themselves  prisoners 
before  they  could  oppose  any  resistance  to  the 
unexpected  assault. 

Valerio  had  been  most  active,  and  displayed 
more  courage,  a  great  deal,  than  people  in  gen- 
eral would  have  given  him  credit  for.  He  was 
a  peaceful,  quiet  youth,  and  would  never  have 
gone  into  danger  by  his  own  choice ;  but  once 
fairly  in  it,  and  convinced  that  the  least  that 
could  happen  to  him  was  a  bullet  through  his 
head,  he  had  braced  himself  up,  and  resolved  to 
sell  his  life  dear :  so  he  rushed  into  the  melte 
with  reckless  desperation.  It  is  an  acknowl- 
edged fact  that  such  peaceable  men,  who  seem 
to  dread  the  idea  of  danger,  if  once  thoroughly 
roused,  behave  as  well  as,  if  not  better  than, 
veteran  fighters,  because  of  their  ignorance  of 
danger.  Valerio  had  followed  close  at  Mr. 
Norman's  heels,  and,  at  the  pre-arranged  signal 
of  "  Avanti !  "  dashed  into  the  cave,  and  threw 
himself  upon  a  sleeping  figure  at  the  opposite 
side,  crying,  "  Surrender,  surrender ! "  The 


A   NIGHT  AMONG    THE  BRIGANDS.      333 

man,  awakened  from  heavy  sleep,  opened  his 
eyes  to  see  a  revolver  held  close  to  his  head. 
It  was  Maso.  Valerio  recognized  him  at  once, 
and  cried,  "  Aha,  my  witty  lawyer !  I  have  got 
you  this  time  !  "  Maso,  collecting  his  scattered 
wits,  made  a  motion  as  if  to  spring  at  him,  but 
was  held  down  by  a  soldier,  while  Valerio 
threatened,  "  Don't  stir,  or  I  will  fire  !  "  Maso 
subsided,  and,  seeing  Pietraccio  near  in  the 
grasp  of  two  soldiers,  said,  "  This  is  treachery, 
and  he  has  done  it,  as  I  warned  you  he  would," 
nodding  at  Leone,  who,  sunk  in  gloomy  thought, 
sat  guarded  by  a  sergeant  and  two  other  men, 
at  the  table  where,  the  night  before,  he  had 
conversed  with  Edith.  Pietraccio,  for  only  an- 
swer, gave  a  savage  growl,  like  a  hyena  stirred 
up  in  his  cage.  In  a  few  moments  all  the  pris- 
oners were  securely  bound,  with  the  exception 
of  Leone,  who,  at  Mr.  Norman's  especial  re- 
quest, was  allowed  to  remain  loose,  under  a 
strong  guard. 

For  some  time  Edith  lay  unconscious  on  the 
bed,  anxiously  watched  by  her  father,  who 
sprinkled  her  face  with  water,  and  did  all  he 
could  to  restore  her.  When  she  came  to  her- 


334  LEONE. 

self  again,  she  thought  at  first  that  she  had  had 
a  fearful  dream  ;  but,  seeing  her  father's  face 
bending  over  her  in  great  distress,  the  whole 
came  vividly  before  her  mind,  and  she  threw 
her  arms  around  his  neck,  crying,  "O  father, 
father  !  You  are  not  hurt  ?  I  knew  you  would 
come  to  my  rescue.  I  knew  you  were  coming  : 
I  heard  your  voice  !  Dear,  dear  father  !  "  Mr. 
Norman  thought  she  was  wandering,  and  replied 
soothingly,  "  I  am  not  hurt.  Be  calm,  be  calm, 
my  poor  child.  You  are  safe,  quite  safe." 

At  this  point,  Valeric  and  the  officer,  having 
seen  all  the  prisoners  properly  secured,  came 
up  to  them.  Edith,  at  sight  of  Valerio,  was 
gratefully  surprised,  understanding  readily  that 
he  must  have  volunteered  to  run  such  a  great 
risk,  to  help  release  her.  She  offered  him  her 
hand,  saying,  "  You  also  came  to  my  rescue  ? 
How  generous  of  you ! " 

"What  would  I  not  do  for  you,  my  faithful 
pupil  ?  "  replied  Valerio  with  his  customary  gal- 
lantry, thinking  as  usual  to  himself,  "  Oh,  if  she 
had  only  fallen  in  love  with  me ! "  But  this 
thought  was  suddenly  checked  by  her  next 
words. 


A  NIGHT  AMONG    THE  BRIGANDS.       335 

"  And  Silvio  ?     Is  he  also  with  you  ? " 

"  Oh,  no  !  "  replied  Mr.  Norman.  "  He 
knows  nothing  at  all  about  it.  We  managed 
it  all  among  ourselves,  with  the  assistance  of 
the  American  consul  and  the  governor  of 
Rome." 

Leone,  who  sat  leaning  on  the  table  near 
them,  hearing  the  conversation,  lifted  his  head 
at  these  words,  exclaiming,  "The  governor  of 
Rome,  did  you  say  ?  " 

Before  her  father  could  reply,  Edith  turned, 
and,  seeing  Leone  seated  at  the  table  where  he 
had  been  the  evening  before,  all  the  gentleness 
and  kindness  with  which  he  had  treated  her 
came  back  to  her  mind.  Acting  under  a  gener- 
ous impulse,  she  rose  from  the  cot  where  she 
had  been  sitting,  and  ran  to  him,  crying  with 
real  distress,  "O  Leone,  Leone!  —  What  will 
they  do  to  him,  father?  Will  they  kill 
him  ? " 

In  his  excitement  and  eagerness  for  his 
daughter's  rescue,  this  thought  had  never 
occurred  to  Mr.  Norman ;  but  now  the  idea 
shocked  him,  for,  after  all,  Leone  was  the 
father  of  Silvio.  Mr.  Norman  felt  really 


336  LEONE. 

grieved  ;  and,  in  the  nobleness  of  his  nature, 
he  forgot  the  brigand,  and  only  saw  before  him 
a  vanquished  enemy.  He  stretched  out  his 
hand  to  him,  saying,  "  Leone,  I  am  very  sorry 
for  you,  but  you  forced  me  to  it  by  your  violent 
action.  I  will  exert  all  the  influence  that  I  can 
bring  to  bear  upon  the  Papal  Government  in 
your  behalf." 

Had  any  one  told  him,  a  week  before,  that 
he,  Edward  Norman,  the  high-minded  Ameri- 
can citizen,  whose  respect  for  law  and  justice 
was  supreme,  and  moral  sense  of  duty  beyond 
all  possible  doubt,  would  deliberately  walk  up 
to  a  notorious  robber  and  outlaw,  shake  hands 
with  him,  and  express  regret  that  he  had  been 
chiefly  instrumental  in  his  capture,  and  promise 
to  do  all  in  his  power  to  mitigate  his  sentence, 
he  would  have  resented  it  as  an  insult.  But 
such  is  the  power  of  sentiment  over  reason ; 
and  who  shall  say  that  sentiment  is  not  often 
in  the  right  ? 

Leone  looked  first  with  intense  feeling  at  the 
lovely  face  of  Edith,  which  expressed  such  dis- 
tress and  sorrow  at  his  impending  fate,  then 
exchanged  a  friendly  look  with  Mr.  Norman, 


A   NIGHT  AMONG    THE  BRIGANDS.       337 

who  still  held  his  hand,  and  glancing  at  the 
officer,  who,  at  a  little  distance,  watched  the 
scene  with  surprise,  he  whispered  to  them,  so 
as  not  to  be  overheard,  "  Fear  not  for  me.  It 
will  be  all  right  as  soon  as  they  take  me  to 
Rome." 

Having  secured  all  the  prisoners,  the  officer 
ordered  an  immediate  departure  for  Sonnino, 
leaving  a  small  detachment  to  guard  the  place, 
and  take  charge  of  the  effects,  until  further 
orders.  Mr.  Norman,  Edith,  and  Valeric  went 
first,  accompanied  by  the  officer  and  one  or  two 
men  :  the  others  followed  a  short  distance  after. 
As  Valeric  was  about  leaving  the  place,  he 
noticed  Silvio's  portrait  of  his  mother  still 
hanging  over  the  bed.  He  said  to  himself,  "I 
cannot  leave  this  here."  So  he  took  it  down, 
and,  with  the  assistance  of  some  of  the  soldiers, ' 
carried  it  away. 

It  was  only  a  little  after  sunrise  when  they 
emerged  from  the  cave  in  advance  of  the  pris- 
oners. The  officer  immediately  ordered  the 
liberation  of  the  shepherd,  who  disappeared 
among  the  crags  of  the  mountain ;  and  they 
took  their  way  down,  followed  at  a  little  dis- 


338  LEONE. 

tance  by  the  long  line  of  soldiers  and  prisoners. 
Leone  marched  ahead  in  stern  silence,  under 
guard,  but  unbound,  the  officer  having  accepted 
his  word  that  he  would  not  attempt  to  escape. 


THE    VENDETTA.  339 


CHAPTER   XX. 

THE   VENDETTA. 

'HT^HE  evening  before  the  events  narrated  in 
-*-  the  last  chapter,  Silvio  received  a  mes- 
sage from  Leone,  asking  him  to  come  up  alone, 
next  morning  at  dawn,  to  the  mountain  chapel, 
where  he  would  find  a  guide  to  lead  him  to  the 
Castellaccio,  and  begging  him  not  to  fail,  as  he 
had  prepared  for  him  an  unexpected  but  grate- 
ful surprise.  He  wondered  a  little  at  the  sum- 
mons, and  naturally  went  to  Father  Francesco 
to  ask  his  advice. 

"Leone  has  acted  very  strangely  of  late," 
said  the  good  father,  reading  the  message. 
"What  does  he  mean  by  asking  you  to  meet 
him  in  his  hiding-place  ?  Does  he  forget  that 
it  is  a  criminal  offence  against  the  laws  ?  Such 
an  act,  however  innocent  on  your  part,  would 
implicate  you,  by  the  laws  against  brigandage." 
And  the  kind  monk  lifted  his  hands  in  horror 


34O  LEONE. 

at  the  idea.  "No,  Silvio,  you  must  not  go. 
I  forbid  you  to  do  so.  I  am  your  legal  guard- 
ian, and  he  has  no  right  to  ask  of  you  what 
may  do  you  harm.  I  was  and  am  willing  that 
you,  as  a  dutiful  son,  should  exert  all  your 
powers  to  redeem  him  from  the  life  he  is  lead- 
ing, but  not  to  the  extent  of  endangering  your 
own  life  and  reputation." 

Silvio  respectfully  suggested,  "But,  Father 
Francesco,  remember,  he  is  my  father." 

"  He  has  forfeited  that  claim  by  his  criminal 
life,  and  I  forbid  you  to  go." 

Never  had  Father  Francesco  spoken  so  se- 
verely to  Silvio  :  he  bowed  his  head  submis- 
sively, saying,  "  I  will  do  as  you  wish."  Father 
Francesco  resumed  his  naturally  mild  tone, 
adding,  "  I  will  send  a  trusty  messenger,  to- 
morrow at  dawn,  to  tell  him,  if  he  has  any 
thing  to  communicate,  to  come  to  us  here.  It 
is  here  that  we  must  work  to  effect  his  conver- 
sion, for  which  I  will  exert  all  the  power  of  my 
holy  office,  and  you  your  filial  duty." 

Silvio  returned  to  his  cell  deeply  affected. 
What  could  Leone  want  of  him,  to  summon 
him  so  urgently  to  that  dangerous  place  ?  As 


THE    VENDETTA.  34! 

he  paced  up  and  down,  his  eyes  fell  upon  a 
letter  lying  on  the  table.  It  was  from  Vale- 
rio,  announcing  the  approaching  departure  of 
Edith. 

"  Gone,  gone !  Lost  forever ! "  he  exclaimed 
in  the  anguish  of  his  heart,  sinking  upon  his 
chair,  and  burying  his  face  in  his  hands.  Long 
he  sat  there,  and  his  old  idea  of  entering  the 
monastic  life  returned  more  forcibly  than  ever. 
"  What  is  life  worth  to  me  now  ? "  he  thought. 
"Yet  if  not  to  myself,  I  can  be  of  some  use 
to  my  fellow-creatures,  to  my  poor  father  es- 
pecially. I  could  influence  him  more  as  a 
monk  than  as  I  am  at  present.  I  am  now 
fully  resolved.  To-morrow  I  will  insist  upon 
Father  Francesco  admitting  me  to  the  novi- 
tiate." He  little  knew  what  the  morrow  was 
to  bring  forth ! 

At  sunrise  next  day,  one  of  the  farmers  at- 
tached to  the  estates  of  the  convent  started 
from  Sonnino  to  carry  Father  Francesco's  mes- 
sage to  Leone.  As  he  left  the  village,  an 
extraordinary  sight  presented  itself.  Compa- 
nies of  regular  troops  occupied  every  egress 
from  the  place,  their  lines  stretching  upwards 


342  LEONE. 

toward  the  Ca'stellaccio.  He  still  advanced ; 
but,  when  he  reached  within  hailing  distance, 
he  was  peremptorily  ordered  to  go  back,  as  no 
one  was  allowed  to  go  from  the  village  for  the 
time  being.  Similar  orders  were  given  to 
every  one  who  attempted  to  leave  the  place. 
There  was  a  full  regiment,  and  the  town  was 
completely  surrounded. 

The  man  returned  to  the  convent,  and  re- 
ported the  fact  to  Father  Francesco.  He  had 
heard,  though  he  had  not  thought  it  well  to 
tell  Silvio,  of  the  bold  robbery  of  the  treasury 
chests  a  few  days  previous,  and  easily  under- 
stood that  the  government  had  been  roused  to 
put  forth  its  best  efforts  to  arrest  Leone  and 
his  band.  "  He  deserves  it ! "  he  thought  to 
himself.  "Justice  and  law  must  claim  their 
due !  Indeed,  the  government  has  .been  too 
slack,  and  allowed  them  too  long  to  hold  sway 
over  the  country.  I  hope  it  will  succeed  in 
arresting  them,  and  will  free  the  Campania 
from  the  lawless  men  who  have  infested  it  for 
so  many  years.  It  is  just !  It  is  just !  But 
Silvio  must  not  hear  of  it,  poor  boy,  he  would 
be  so  concerned  for  his  father's  safety."  He 


THE    VENDETTA.  343 

resolved,  accordingly,  to  keep  the  youth  occu- 
pied, so  that  he  should  not  leave  the  convent, 
and,  going  into  his  cell,  asked  him  to  join  the 
monks  at  Matins.  Silvio,  thinking  that  Father 
Francesco  had  come  to  the  same  conclusion  as 
himself  in  regard  to  his  joining  the  brother- 
hood, and  had  therefore  come  to  initiate  him 
into  the  monastic  routine,  readily  consented, 
and  accompanied  him  to  the  chapel  to  attend 
the  service.  After  prayers  they  went  into  the 
refectory  for  their  morning  meal,  where  Silvio 
usually  sat  on  the  inner  curve  of  the  semi-circu- 
lar table,  opposite  Father  Francesco.  Before 
they  were  half  through  breakfast,  they  were 
interrupted  by  Valeric,  who,  without  asking 
leave,  burst  into  the  refectory,  screaming  out 
in  the  most  excited  manner,  — 

"  We  have  got  them  !  We  have  got  them  — 
the  whole  brood,  men  and  women  —  without 
firing  a  gun,  or  losing  a  life !  We  did  it,  —  Mr. 
Norman  and  I  —  and  released  Miss  Edith! 
Ah  !  These  American!  are  smart  people,  won- 
derful people  !  "  Here  he  ran  up  to  Silvio,  and 
clasped  him  in  a  fervent  embrace ;  then,  seeing 
a  glass  of  wine  upon  the  table,  he  emptied  it 
at  a  draught,  saying,  "  Oh,  I  am  so  thirsty  !  " 


344  LEONE. 

The  astonishment  of  the  by-standers  can  be 
easily  imagined.  They  left  the  breakfast-table, 
and  crowded  around  Valeric,  asking  ques- 
tions, especially  Silvio  and  Father  Francesco. 
"  What !  The  brigands  taken !  and  Leone 
too  ?  Mr.  Norman !  His  daughter !  How 
came  they  here  ?  Did  they  not  leave  Rome  ? " 

Valeric  tried  to  answer ;  but  he  was  so  ex- 
cited, that  he  could  not  explain,  except  in  bro- 
ken sentences.  "  Yes  :  they  started  to  go  to 
Naples,  but  were  attacked  in  the  road,  and  cap- 
tured —  No,  they  only  took  the  daughter  —  Mr. 
Norman  came  back  to  Rome  —  We  went  to  the 
American  consul  —  to  the  governor  of  Rome 

—  got   troops  —  he    made    a    map  —  surprised 
them  in  the  Castellaccio  —  got  them  all  safe 
without  firing  a  gun  —  Here  they  all  are   in 
the  square  —  Antonio  —  no,  Leone  —  with  them 

—  Mr.     Norman  —  Miss    Edith  —  all.      Come, 
come  and  see  !  " 

And  he  seized  Silvio,  and  dragged  him  along 
the  corridor  to  a  balcony  that  looked  out  upon 
the  square  in  front  of  the  convent,  Father 
Francesco  and  the  rest  of  the  monks  following. 
It  was  full  of  soldiers;  for,  as  the  prisoners 


THE    VENDETTA.  345 

were  brought  in,  the  troops  that  had  surrounded 
the  village  closed  in  around  them,  keeping  off 
the  populace,  that  from  every  house  and  shop 
came  thronging  about  with  curiosity  and  fear. 
When  they  reached  the  open  place  in  front  of 
the  convent,  they  formed  into  a  hollow  square, 
keeping  the  prisoners  in  the  middle,  so  as  not 
to  allow  any  communication  with  the  people. 

Mr.  Norman  and  Edith  had  gone  into  the 
Foresteria,  and  were  now  standing  on  the  bal- 
cony overlooking  the  scene.  As  they  exchanged 
salutations,  Father  Francesco  proposed  going 
over  at  once  to  congratulate  them  upon  their 
miraculous  escape  from  so  many  dangers,  and 
comfort  the  young  lady  after  the  excitement 
and  terror  of  her  capture.  They  went  down 
into  the  street ;  and  as  they  made  their  way 
slowly  through  the  crowd  of  people  that  gath- 
ered round  the  hollow  square  of  soldiers,  who 
with  fixed  bayonets  kept  them  off,  they  noticed 
many  weeping  eyes  among  the  women,  who 
probably  had  husbands,  lovers,  or  relatives 
among  the  arrested  brigands,  and  threatening 
looks  among  the  men,  who,  had  they  not  been 
overawed  by  superior  force,  would  have  at- 


346  LEONE. 

tempted  a  rescue.  The  troops  allowed  Valerio 
and  his  friends  to  pass  within  the  lines ;  and 
they  went  up  to  Leone,  who  stood  with  his 
arms  folded,  proudly  surveying  the  scene,  in 
strong  contrast  to  the  dejected  demeanor  of  his 
companions.  Father  Francesco  addressed  him 
kindly,  though  with  somewhat  untimely  re- 
proaches. 

"  Incorrigible  man  !  How  many  times  have 
I  warned  you  that  this  would  be  the  end  ? 
You  would  not  listen  to  the  voice  of  our  Lord, 
speaking  through  his  unworthy  servant ;  and 
this  is  the  inevitable  result." 

"This  is  no  fit  time  for  sermonizing,  Father 
Francesco :  wait  for  a  better  opportunity,"  re- 
plied Leone  somewhat  impatiently,  and  turned 
towards  Silvio,  who  had  come  close  to  him,  and 
pressed  his  hand  affectionately,  whispering  with 
deep  feeling,  "  My  poor  father !  " 

Leone  answered  in  a  low  tone,  but  with  a 
loving  smile,  "  Fear  not  for  me,  Silvio :  I  have 
been  in  worse  dangers  than  this.  I  have  such 
influence  in  high  quarters  that  they  will  not 
keep  me  long  in  confinement.  I  am  too  dan- 
gerous." Then,  addressing  the  three,  he  said, 


THE    VENDETTA.  347 

"Now,  go  up  to  the  Foresteria,  and  tell  Mr. 
Norman  that  I  bear  no  ill  will  against  him.  In 
his  place,  I  would  have  done  the  same." 

They  went  across  to  the  Foresteria.  Edith 
was  shocked  at  the  sight  of  Silvio,  for  he  was 
but  the  shadow  of  his  former  self.  The  intense 
suffering  of  the  past  few  days,  unrelieved  by 
any  distraction,  had  told  heavily  upon  his  sensi- 
tive, passionate  nature  :  he  was  pale,  emaciated, 
with  hollow,  black  rings  around  his  eyes.  They 
greeted  each  other  with  the  deep  feeling  of 
those  who  had  parted  from  their  dearest,  never 
expecting  to  meet  again  :  clasping  hands,  they 
looked  at  each  other  in  silence,  unable  to  utter 
a  word. 

Mr.  Norman,  however,  received  Father  Fran- 
cesco with  his  usual  buoyant  spirits.  He  was 
proud  of  his  achievement  (and  well  he  might 
be),  though  he  regretted  that  the  chief  culprit 
should  be  so  nearly  related  to  the  young  man 
he  so  dearly  loved ;  but  it  could  not  be  helped. 
"Dear  Father  Francesco,"  he  said,  "I  have 
accomplished  something  for  which  the  Pope 
will  thank  me ;  and  I  have  also  given  a  lesson 
to  the  government,  showing,  that,  with  energy 


348  LEONE. 

and  determination,  they  could  soon  eradicate 
this  plague  of  brigandage  from  Italy."  He 
then  began  to  relate  the  exciting  events  of 
the  previous  day ;  but  Valeric  was  so  full  of 
it,  that  he  would  not  allow  Mr.  Norman  to  pro- 
ceed, but,  taking  the  words  out  of  his  mouth, 
went  on  in  his  voluble  way,  giving  every 
little  detail,  from  the  time  that  Mr.  Norman,  as 
he  expressed  it,  fell  like  a  bombshell  into  his 
studio,  to  the  final  successful  surprise  and 
arrest  of  the  brigands,  concluding,  "And  I 
have  brought  off  a  trophy  of  our  victory.  Mr. 
Norman  rescued  his  daughter,  and  I  rescued 
your  mother,  Silvio."  And  he  went  for  the 
portrait,  which  he  had  left  in  an  outer  room, 
and  placed  it  on  a  table  opposite  a  bed  that 
stood  in  a  corner.  Hardly  had  he  removed  the 
veil  that  covered  it,  and  arranged  the  table  so 
as  to  have  it  in  a  good  light,  when  they  were 
startled  by  confused  outcries  from  the  square,  a 
rolling  of  drums  and  clatter  of  arms  among  the 
soldiers,  with  voices  from  the  populace  crying, 
"  He  is  killed  !  He  is  dead  !  They  have  killed 
him ! "  They  rushed  to  the  balcony,  and  a 
shocking  sight  presented  itself.  From  the 


THE    VENDETTA.  349 

centre  of  the  hollow  square,  where  the  bri- 
gands were  angrily  crying,  "  Traitor  !  Traitor  ! 
Traitor ! "  a  party  of  soldiers  were  bringing  the 
senseless  body  of  Leone  towards  the  Fores- 
teria,  while  others  were  holding  Pietraccio,  who 
seemed  to  have  got  loose.  What  had  happened  ? 

When  Father  Francesco,  Silvio,  and  Valeric, 
coming  from  the  convent,  had  been  allowed  to 
stop  and  speak  to  Leone,  Maso  and  Pietraccio 
stood  only  a  few  steps  from  them,  and  heard  all 
the  conversation,  even  when  he  whispered  to 
Silvio  not  to  fear  for  him,  as  he  had  influence 
in  high  quarters.  They  moved  away  a  few 
steps ;  and  Maso  began,  "  Are  you  satisfied 
now  ?  He  has  protection  in  high  quarters,  and 
will  get  clear.  It  is  we  who  will  be  hung." 

Pietraccio  gave  a  suppressed  growl,  but  with 
canine  fidelity  replied,  "  No  !  I  cannot  believe 
that  of  him.  He  must  have  been  betrayed 
himself;  and,  if  he  can  save  himself,  he  will 
save  us  too.  He  has  done  it  before." 

"  You  will  not  believe  it  until  you  are  on  the 
gallows,"  replied  Maso  cynically.  "  Why  is  he 
allowed  to  go  loose,  while  they  have  bound  all 
the  rest  of  us,  like  oxen  to  be  slaughtered  ? 


35O  LEONE. 

Why  do  they  allow  him  to  converse  with  his 
friends,  while  they  keep  ours  away  at  the  point 
of  the  bayonet  ? " 

"  I  do  not -care  for  that :  that  is  no  proof  that 
he  betrayed  us,.  I  must  have  better  proof  than 
that,  before  I  believe  that  Capt.  Leone  would 
betray  us,"  reiterated  Pietraccio. 

"  More  proofs !  Well,  you  will  find  them 
when  you  are  no  longer  able  to  avenge  your- 
self. Even  now,  what  could  you  do,  if  you  had 
ever  so  much  proof?  We  are  bound,  and 
watched  by  troops  all  around  us." 

For  only  answer,  Pietraccio  rolled  his  eyes, 
grinding  his  teeth  with  such  force,  that  he 
broke  the  edge  of  one,  and  spit  it  out  with 
venomous  rage,  his  breast  heaving,  and  his 
mouth  foaming,  with  a  hiss  like  a  wildcat 

The  conversation  was  interrupted  by  a  call 
to  arms,  and  a  military  salute  to  an  officer  of 
high  rank,  who,  followed  by  his  aids,  entered 
the  enclosure.  It  was  the  chief  of  police,  who 
had  directed  the  movement.  He  wore  the  un- 
dress uniform  of  a  general  of  gens-d'armes,  and 
walked  slowly  up  to  the  prisoners,  inspecting 
them  one  by  one,  questioning  them,  and  occa- 


THE    VENDETTA.  351 

sionally  referring  to  a  note-book  which  he  held 
in  his  hand.  Leone,  who  had  seated  himself 
astride  a  chair  which  had  been  brought  out 
from  the  cafe,  watched  him  with  a  sarcastic 
smile.  When  he  came  to  Maso  and  Pietraccio, 
he  referred  to  his  book,  and  said,  "  You  are  the 
second  in  command  of  the  band. — And  you,  the 
special  attendant  of  Leone,  are  you  not  ?  " 

Pietraccio  shrugged  his  shoulders  angrily, 
without  replying ;  but  Maso,  who  never  lost  an 
opportunity  of  using  his  tongue,  said  with 
rather  an  impudent  air,  "  Yes,  general ;  and  we 
claim  the  right  to  be  treated  like  our  leader, 
and  to  be  left  unbound.  With  a  regiment  of 
soldiers  guarding  us,  there  is  no  danger  that 
we  shall  attempt  to  escape.  And  we  also  take 
the  liberty  of  informing  you  that  we  have  had 
nothing  to  eat  this  morning." 

The  chief  of  police  looked  sharply,  first  at 
Maso,  then  at  Pietraccio,  and  replied  with  an 
authoritative  air,  "You  ask  too  much  for  a 
man  in  your  position.  You  will  have  some- 
thing to  eat  presently,  in  the  cloister  of  the 
convent,  before  setting  out  for  Rome.  As  to 
going  unbound,  that  is  against  the  regulations, 


352  LEONE. 

though  I  may  relax  the  rule  while  you  eat. 
Leone  has  been  excepted,  for  reasons  satisfac- 
tory to  myself."  He  said  this  last  sentence 
slowly,  watching  keenly  the .  effect  it  produced 
on  the  listeners.  He  noticed  Maso  exchange 
a  quick  glance  with  Pietraccio,  and  saw  the 
latter  turn  livid  with  suppressed  rage.  He 
called  the  officers  who  had  the  prisoners  in 
charge,  asking,  "  Have  all  these  men  been  dis- 
armed ? "  and,  on  their  replying  in  the  affirma- 
tive, he  said  in  a  loud  voice,  so  as  to  be  heard 
by  all,  "Then  I  see  no  reason  why  the  pris- 
oners may  not  be  unbound  while  they  are  eat- 
ing their  breakfast  in  the  cloister.  Afterwards, 
on  the  march  to  Rome,  you  will  have  them 
again  securely  bound,  with  the  exception  of 
Leone.  There  is  no  need  of  it  in  his  case." 

A  meaning  glance  was  interchanged,  at  this 
last  emphatic  sentence,  between  Maso,  Pietrac- 
cio, and  the  other  members  of  the  band,  —  a 
glance  of  intelligence,  surprise,  and  anger ;  but 
they  were  still  further  surprised  and  enraged, 
when  they  saw  the  chief  of  police  walk  up  to 
Leone  with  a  pleasant  smile  of  greeting,  say- 
ing, "  Ah  !  We  have  you  at  last,  Signer  Leone 


THE    VENDETTA.  353 

di  Montalba :  you  have  been  running  at  large 
too  long." 

Leone  looked  up,  without  deigning  to  rise 
from  his  chair,  and  said  with  a  sardonic  smile, 
"  Is  this  your  work  ? " 

"  Yes,  yes,"  replied  the  chief.  Then,  lower- 
ing his  head,  he  spoke  low,  "What  could  we 
do  ?  Why  did  you  capture  a  woman,  and  a 
foreigner?  You  knew  it  would  raise  all  the 
foreign  governments  against  us." 

"  I  see.  I  made  a  mistake,  —  the  first  one 
in  my  life,"  replied  Leone.  "  And  what  do  you 
mean  to  do  now  ? "  he  asked,  after  a  pause. 

The  chief  looked  round  to  see  that  none  of 
his  officers  were  within  hearing,  then  said  with 
a  significant  smile,  "We  will  manage  all  that 
when  we  get  to  Rome."  He  even  went  so  far 
as  to  shake  hands  rather  ostentatiously  with 
Leone,  watching,  the  while,  the  effect  on  the 
other  brigands ;  and,  as  if  satisfied  with  his 
success,  he  left  him,  somewhat  astonished  at 
this  too  open  exhibition  of  friendliness. 

Hardly  had  he  left  Leone's  side,  when  Pie- 
traccio,  who,  with  the  others,  had  been  unbound, 
grasping  a  stiletto  which  he  had  concealed, 


354  LEONE, 

sprang  upon  Leone,  who  was  still  seated  with 
his  back  to  him,  and  struck  him  a  powerful 
blow  between  his  shoulders,  crying,  "Traitor!" 
Leone  fell  back,  uttering  a  groan.  The  officers, 
taken  by  surprise,  and  fearing  an  hneute,  called 
to  arms.  The  chief  of  police  ordered  the 
brigands  to  be  rebound,  and  carried  into  the 
convent  cloister.  As  they  passed  the  prostrate 
body  of  Leone,  they  cried  out  with  curses, 
"Traitor!  Traitor!"  The  surgeon  of  the  regi- 
ment was  hastily  summoned,  and  examined  the 
wound.  The  stiletto  had  penetrated  deep  into 
the  chest,  and  it  was  bleeding  internally.  He 
shook  his  head  ominously,  and  ordered  the  im- 
mediate removal  of  the  wounded  man  to  some 
convenient  place.  The  Foresteria  was  near  at 
hand :  so  they  carried  him  there,  and  laid  him 
on  the  bed,  in  the  room  where  our  friends  were 
assembled,  horror-struck  at  the  dreadful  occur- 
rence. The  surgeon  then  examined  the  wound 
more  carefully,  probed  it,  and,  turning  to  Father 
Francesco,  who  stood  by  the  bed  in  painful 
suspense,  he  said,  "  The  wound  is  mortal :  there 
is  no  hope  for  him.  You  may  have  just  time 
enough  to  give  him  the  last  religious  assist- 


THE    VENDETTA.  355 

ance.  Mine  is  no  longer  of  any  use."  And  he 
turned  to  go.  On  the  threshold  he  met  the 
chief  of  police,  who  asked  him  eagerly,  — 

"  Is  he  dead  ? " 

"  No ;  but  it  is  only  a  question  of  an  hour  or 
two." 

"  Then  we  can  leave  him  in  the  hands  of  the 
monks,  so  that  he  may  end  well."  This  he 
said  with  a  sanctimonious  air,  but  with  a  feel- 
ing of  relief  which  he  could  hardly  conceal. 
He  requested  Father  Francesco  to  attend  to 
his  religious  needs ;  and  ordering  a  guard  to 
watch  the  entrance  of  the  house,  so  as  to  keep 
off  intruders,  he  left  the  place  with  light  steps, 
to  attend  to  the  transportation  of  the  band,  for 
whose  arrest  he  expected  to  get  all  the  credit. 

Father  Francesco  stood  at  the  head  of  the 
bed,  piously  watching  every  motion  of  the  pa- 
tient, with  the  hope,  that,  in  some  lucid  in- 
terval, he  might  minister  his  holy  office  in 
articulo  mortis.  From  time  to  time,  he  lifted 
his  hands  in  prayer,  "  Lord,  have  mercy  upon 
him  !  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  him  !  "  Silvio, 
utterly  overwhelmed,  knelt  at  one  side  of  the 
bed,  holding  Leone's  hand ;  for,  brigand  though 


356  LEONE. 

he  had  been,  he  was  still  his  father.  Like  a 
ministering  angel,  Edith  stood  on  the  other 
side,  wiping  the  dew  from  his  cold  forehead,  no 
particle  of  resentment  left  in  her  generous 
heart  for  his  violence,  but  remembering  only 
his  kindness  the  evening  before.  Mr.  Norman 
stood  by  her,  administering  spoonfuls  of  brandy. 
Valerio  went  in  and  out,  carrying  messages  for 
Father  Francesco.  He  had  sent  for  some  of 
the  monks,  who  brought  processionally  the 
Holy  Sacrament  of  the  Communion  and  the 
Extreme  Unction,  and  waited  in  an  anteroom, 
ready  to  administer  these  last  offices,  if  he 
revived  and  confessed ;  but  he  admitted  only 
those  four  into  the  chamber  of  death. 

Long,  very  long,  did  Leone  lie  unconscious, 
carefully  watched,  and  tenderly  cared  for. 
Edith,  anxious  and  exhausted,  sat  down  by  the 
bed,  expecting  every  moment  that  he  would 
breathe  his  last.  Finally,  as  Mr.  Norman  gave 
him  another  spoonful  of  the  brandy,  he  lan- 
guidly opened  his  eyes ;  and  they  fell  upon  the 
portrait  that  Valerio  had  placed  upon  the  table 
opposite.  He  gave  a  start,  exclaiming  with 
difficulty,  "  Silvia,  Silvia !  "  Silvio,  who  still 


THE    VENDETTA.  357 

knelt  beside  him,  pressing  his  hand,  could  no 
longer  control  his  feelings  :  he  cried  in  a  tone 
of  anguish,  "  Father,  dear  father !  " 

That  voice,  that  word,  startled  the  dying 
man.  He  turned  his  eyes  from  the  picture  to 
Silvio ;  a  nervous  paroxysm  shook  his  frame ; 
he  half  rose  in  the  bed,  exclaiming  in  a  trem- 
bling voice,  — 

"  Father !  No,  no,  no !  The  murderer  of 
your  father ! "  And  he  fell  back  fainting  in 
Father  Francesco's  arms. 

Edith  was  so  horrified  that  she  could  not 
move ;  but  watching  that  dying  face,  which  in 
that  supreme  moment  looked  more  impressive 
than  ever,  she  exclaimed  with  great  agitation, 
"  He  is  dead !  He  is  dead  !  He  is  not  Silvio's 
father!"  And,  bursting  into  tears,  she  buried 
her  head  in  the  pillow. 

Who  can  describe  the  amazement  of  Silvio 
at  this  revelation  ?  He  rose  to  his  feet,  drop- 
ping the  hand  which  he  had  been  holding,  and 
cried  with  an  accent  of  acutest  distress,  "  Not 
his  son  ?  Who,  then,  am  I  ? " 

Father  Francesco,  the  only  one  who  had  re- 
mained calm  during  this  exciting  scene,  placed 


358  LEONE. 

his  hand  over  Leone's  heart ;  and,  feeling  that 
it  still  beat,  he  said, — 

"  My  children,  he  is  not  dead ;  and  I  may 
yet  hear  his  confession.  Withdraw  into  the 
next  room,  and  leave  me  alone  with  him." 

They  were  about  to  obey ;  but  Leone,  who 
had  not  entirely  lost  his  consciousness,  gather- 
ing up  his  strength,  said  with  a  weak  voice  (for 
the  hemorrhage  was  slowly  doing  its  work), 
"No,  no!  Let  them  stay  —  Let  them  hear  it 
too  —  I  will  have  no  secrets  from  them." 

Father  Francesco,  yielding  to  his  wish,  beck- 
oned them  to  remain.  Edith  resumed  her  seat 
by  the  bed,  leaning  her  head  against  it  :  the 
others  gathered  round  with  anxious  expecta- 
tion, and  Father  Francesco  said,  — 

"  Leone,  what  you  reveal  to  us  now,  I  will 
accept  as  a  confession  ;  and,  if  you  truly  repent, 
God  will  also  accept  it,  and  give  you  his  forgive- 
ness. Remember,  you  have  only  a  few  moments 
to  live ;  and  your  eternal  safety  depends  upon 
your  truly  confessing  and  repenting  your  sins." 
He  made  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  then  asked 
him, — 

"  You  are  not,  then,  the  father  of  Silvio  ? " 


THE    VENDETTA.  359 

Leone  had  again  fixed  his  eyes  on  the  por- 
trait :  now  he  looked  at  Silvio,  who  stood  trem- 
bling with  suspense  and  dread  at  his  side,  and, 
seizing  his  hand,  implored,  — 

"  Promise  to  forgive  me !  Promise !  I  will  not 
confess  unless  you  promise  me  that." 

Silvio  was  unable  to  speak ;  but  Father  Fran- 
cesco, perceiving  it,  said,  "  Yes,  Leone,  I  prom- 
ise in  his  name.  Speak,  for  your  time  is  short." 

"Yes  :  I  feel  it.  I  am  dying — and  by  a  dag- 
ger ! "  he  gasped.  Mr.  Norman  hastily  gave 
him  some  more  brandy,  which  revived  him 
somewhat ;  and  he  resumed  with  broken  sen- 
tences, fixing  his  eyes  on  the  portrait,  "  I  loved 
her :  yes,  how  I  loved  her !  She  belonged  to 
another  branch  of  the  family,  Silvia  di  Montalba, 
—  the  wealthy  Montalbas  of  the  Abruzzi.  We 
were  engaged,  but  were  yet  very  young.  They 
sent  me  to  travel  in  Italy  and  France — to  see 
the  world  before  marrying.  While  I  was  away, 
the  Duke  of  Celata  fell  in  love  with  Silvia.  She 
refused  him,  and  he  swore  to  make  her  his  at 
any  cost.  He  was  a  member  of  the  society  of 
the  Carbonari  for  the  liberation  of  Italy.  He 
knew  I  also  belonged  to  it  —  traitor  —  He 


360  LEONE. 

turned  State's  evidence,  and  accused  me  and 
others.  On  my  return  to  the  Abruzzi,  I  was 
arrested,  convicted,  and  condemned  to  the 
galleys  for  life  —  My  property  was  confiscated 
—  He,  the  traitor,  meanwhile,  made  proposals 
of  marriage  to  Silvia's  father,  who,  for  the  sake 
of  his  title  and  large  fortune,  compelled  her  to 
marry  him  in  spite  of  her  repeated  refusals.  I 
learned  this  while  I  was  working  in  the  chain- 
gang,  blasting  rocks,  like  a  common  criminal. 
I  swore  revenge  —  and  the  day  did  come — • 
Silvia,  sainted  martyr,  was  sacrificed.  She  lived 
only  a  year,  and  died  of  a  broken  heart  a  few 
days  after  giving  you  birth." 

This  painful  thought  seemed  to  have  ex- 
hausted all  his  strength.  His  dim  eyes  again 
sought  the  portrait,  and,  repeating,  "Silvia! 
Silvia !  My  martyred  Silvia ! "  he  fell  heavily 
back  upon  the  pillows. 

They  stood  spell-bound,  listening  with  wonder 
and  pity  to  the  sad  recital :  even  Father  Fran- 
cesco, accustomed  as  he  was  in  his  long  minis- 
try to  listen  to  tales  of  sin  and  sorrow,  could 
not  help  feeling  deeply  moved.  He  tenderly 
bathed  his  face  with  scented  spirits,  and,  when 


THE    VENDETTA.  361 

Leone  was  again  restored  to  consciousness,  he 
said  gently,  "  Go  on,  my  son,  go  on." 

Leone  re-opened  his  eyes,  and,  fixing  them 
earnestly  upon  Silvio,  who  stood  awestruck 
before  him,  said  entreatingly,  "  You  will  forgive 
me,  for  the  love  I  bore  your  mother  ? " 

Silvio  was  so  agitated  that  he  could  not 
speak ;  but  his  tender  heart  could  not  resist 
the  dying  man's  appeal.  He  took  his  hand, 
and  pressed  it  affectionately  in  token  of  assent. 

Leone  continued,  "  Two  years  after,  I  escaped 
from  prison,  joined  a  band  in  the  Abruzzi,  and 
they  made  me  their  leader.  I  watched  my 
chance.  The  Duke  of  Celata  was  living  in  his 
villa  in  perfect  security  —  he  did  not  know  that 
I  had  escaped.  I  attacked  it  with  my  band 
with  the  fury  of  revenge.  I  penetrated  into  his 
bedroom  —  I  stabbed  him  before  he  could  offer 
any  resistance  —  I  raised  my  arm  to  murder 
you  also,  sleeping  beside  him  —  You  opened 
your  eyes  —  they  were  Silvia's  eyes  —  and  I 
could  not  strike  —  but  I  had  sworn  that  the 
name  of  Celata  should  be  extinct ;  and  I  stole 
you  away,  and  intrusted  you  to  Father  Fran- 
cesco. I  meant  it  first  as  a  vendetta  ;  but  soon 


362  LEONE. 

I  learned  to  love  you,  for  you  were  the  image 
of  my  Silvia.  I  came  to  love  you  as  if  you  had 
been  indeed  my  own.  Have  I  not  loved  you 
—  Silvio  ?  "  He  grasped  his  hand,  and  carried  it 
to  his  lips.  "  Will  you  not  now  forgive  me  for 
the  murder  of  your  father  ?  " 

Silvio  stood  stupefied  with  the  many  conflict- 
ing emotions  crowding  so  suddenly  upon  his 
mind.  There  lay  the  murderer  of  his  father, 
but  his  own  savior  and  benefactor,  dying,  and 
praying  for  pardon.  Looking  away  from  Leone, 
he  caught  Edith's  tearful,  appealing  gaze,  and 
the  venerable  Father  Francesco's  expectant 
look,  awaiting  the  reply  that,  to  satisfy  Leone, 
must  come  spontaneously  from  Silvio  himself. 
He  understood  them  both ;  and,  bending  com- 
passionately towards  him,  he  said  in  a  gentle 
voice,  — 

"  Leone,  may  God  forgive  you,  as  I  do,  with 
all  my  heart,  for  the  death  of  my  father." 

A  grateful  smile  irradiated  Leone's  face  :  he 
again  lifted  Silvio's  hand  to  his  lips,  kissing  it 
as  devoutly  as  if  it  had  been  Silvia's,  while 
Father  Francesco  asked  him  earnestly,  — 

"  Leone,  do  you  truly  repent  that  murder  ? " 


THE    VENDETTA.  363 

Leone  fixed  his  eyes  on  Father  Francesco 
with  a  stern  look,  as  if  struggling  in  his  own 
mind,  then,  turning  toward  Silvio  again,  watched 
him  long  and  earnestly,  the  hard  look  gradually 
softening  into  the  repentant  expression  which 
Silvio  had  transferred  to  his  St.  Jerome.  He 
meekly  bent  his  head  in  sign  of  assent,  saying, 
"I  do." 

Then  Father  Francesco,  devoutly  raising  his 
hand,  said  solemnly,  "And  now,  as  man  has 
forgiven  you,  so  may  God,  in  his  infinite  mercy, 
forgive  you  also."  And  he  gave  him  the  holy 
absolution  in  articulo  mortis, 

A  few  minutes  after,  he  administered  to  him 
the  last  holy  sacraments. 

The  mental  strain  and  painful  emotions 
Leone  had  undergone  had  exhausted  his  failing 
strength  ;  and  he  relapsed  into  unconsciousness, 
hovering  between  life  and  death.  They  clus- 
tered around  him,  painfully  watching  his  last 
agony,  while  the  convent-bell  mournfully  tolled 
the  knell  for  one  passing  away.  Edith  still  sat 
half-leaning  against  the  bed,  and  her  loosened 
curls  falling  upon  it ;  while  Father  Francesco 
and  Silvio  knelt  at  the  other  side,  reciting  the 


364  LEONE. 

prayers  for  the  dying,  interrupted  only  by  the 
tramp  of  the  soldiers,  who  were  marching  out  of 
the  village,  carrying  away  their  prisoners. 

Leone's  breathing  grew  more  difficult,  his 
strong  vitality  gradually  yielding  to  the  effect 
of  the  hemorrhage.  Suddenly  his  hand,  mov- 
ing convulsively,  rested  against  Edith's  hair. 
The  touch  electrified  him.  He  opened  his 
eyes ;  and,  seeing  the  sweet,  tearful  face  com- 
passionately watching  him,  a  tender  smile  of 
satisfaction  lighted  his  countenance,  and  he  said 
with  a  dying  voice,  "  You  will  marry  Silvio  now, 
for  he  is  not  the  son  of  a  brigand.  That  was 
what  I  had  meant  to  tell  you."  He  seized 
Silvio's  hand,  pressed  it :  but  his  eyes  were 
fixed  on  the  portrait  of  Silvia ;  he  gasped  her 
name  two  or  three  times  in  the  agony  of  death, 
and  sunk  back  on  the  pillow.  He  was  dead. 

Father  Francesco  felt  his  heart :  it  had  ceased 
to  beat.  He  placed  a  crucifix  in  his  hands,  and 
saying,  " Requiescat  in  pace!"  he  knelt  with 
the  other  monks,  and  recited  the  prayers  for 
the  dead. 


CONCLUSION.  365 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

CONCLUSION. 

r  I  ^HREE  years  had  elapsed ;  and,  on  a  lovely 
-*•  autumn  day,  a  small  party  were  celebrating 
the  birthday  of  a  pretty  infant  in  a  villa  of  Capo 
di  Monte,  overlooking  the  romantically  beauti- 
ful bay  of  Naples.  They  were  assembled  in  a 
hall  that  opened  upon  a  terrace,  shaded  by  a 
natural  awning  of  grape-vines  from  whose  leafy 
stems  hung  enormous  clusters  of  ripe  grapes. 
A  tall  Italian  pine,  rising  near  the  villa,  spread 
its  umbrella-like  branches  over  it,  and  masses  of 
flowers  on  the  terrace  and  in  the  garden  be- 
neath scented  the  air  with  their  delicious  per- 
fume. The  deep  blue  of  the  sea  contrasted  so 
harmoniously  with  the  verdure  of  the  country, 
and  the  purple  haze  of  the  islands  of  Capri  and 
Ischia,  rising  like  nymphs  from  the  water,  that 
one  could  easily  imagine  it  the  terrestrial  para- 
dise sung  by  the  poets.  The  white  lateen-sails 


366  LEONE. 

of  the  fisher-boats  skimmed  the  water  like  sea- 
gulls ;  and  the  smoke  from  Vesuvius  waved 
lightly,  tinged  by  the  sun's  rays,  like  the  feather 
on  a  chevalier's  hat  It  was  the  fall  of  the  year, 
but  the  air  was  as  soft  as  in  summer. 

Cheerful  voices  were  heard  in  the  hall :  a 
young  man  ran  out  upon  the  terrace,  holding 
the  child  astride  on  his  shoulder,  and  trotting 
like  a  horse,  followed  by  a  robust  nurse,  dressed 
in  the  costume  of  a  Roman  peasant,  crying  out 
in  alarm,  "  Stop,  stop,  Signer  Valerio !  you  will 
drop  the  poor  baby  !  " 

Valerio,  regardless  of  the  nurse's  warning, 
continued  to  trot  over  the  terrace  to  the  delight 
of  the  infant-boy,  who  screamed  with  pleasure. 
The  rest  of  the  company  came  out  soon  after,  — 
Edith  and  Silvio,  Mr.  Norman,  and  the  venera- 
ble Father  Francesco.  As  Valerio  recrossed 
the  terrace,  still  pursued  by  the  nurse,  Edith, 
who  was  also  a  little  uneasy  at  his  prancing, 
stopped  him,  saying  with  a  laugh,  "There,  that's 
enough.  You  will  kill  the  poor  child  !  " 

"Kill  the  child!  No  :  he  likes  it,  he  enjoys 
it." 

But  Edith  insisted,  took  the  unwilling  child 


CONCLUSION. 

down  from  his  perch,  kissed  him  affectionately, 
and  handed  him  back  to  his  nurse. 

"You  ought  to  marry,  Valeric,  you  are  so 
fond  of  children,"  observed  Mr.  Norman. 

"  Marry  !  "  cried  Valeric  with  a  merry  laugh. 
"  Yes,  if  you  will  go  to  America,  and  bring 
back  an  American  girl  of  a  certain  type,  who 
may  chance  to  fall  in  love  with  me,"  turning  a 
sly  glance  upon  Edith.  "  Unless  you  can  do 
that,  I  am  likely  to  remain  single,  I  fear. 
Whom  am  I  to  marry  here,  —  a  model  ?  Bah  ! 
Besides,  who  would  take  care  of  my  old  parents 
in  Rome  ?  No,  no.  I  am  happy  enough  work- 
ing away  with  Silvio,  as  of  old,  and  amusing  his 
child.  —  Do  I  not  make  a  good  Yorick  for  your 
boy,  Signora  di  Montalba  ?  " 

"Oh,  you  merry,  kind-hearted  fellow!  what 
should  we  do  without  you  ?  "  replied  Edith  with 
a  sweet  smile. 

"  I  think  I  will  paint  you  in  the  character  of 
Yorick,  prancing  with  my  boy  on  your  back. 
It  would  make  a  fine  picture,"  said  Silvio. 

They  soon  gathered  round  Father  Francesco  ; 
for  it  was  the  first  time  that  he  had  come  to 
visit  them  in  Naples,  and  they  had  many  things 


368  LEONE. 

to  speak  about.  He  had  settled  Silvio's  estate : 
that  is,  all  the  money  that  Leone  had  left  to 
Silvio  he  had  returned  to  the  Papal  Treasury, 
under  the  seal  of  confession,  as  conscience 
money,  Silvio  refusing  to  touch  a  single  penny 
of  it ;  his  profession  was  amply  sufficient  for 
his  support,  and  Edith  was  entirely  independ- 
ent. He  had  retained  his  mother's  name  of 
Di  Montalba;  for  the  title  of  Duke  of  Celata 
would  have  recalled  a  family  crime,  and  awak- 
ened bitter  remembrances.  Mr.  Norman  lived 
with  them ;  and  now  they  expected  to  see 
Father  Francesco  constantly,  for  he  had  been 
appointed,  at  his  own  request,  prior  of  a  neigh- 
boring convent,  so  as  to  be  near  his  beloved 
ward,  Silvio. 

Mr.  Norman  was  delighted  to  meet  Father 
Francesco  again ;  and,  in  the  expansion  of  his 
generous  heart,  he  said  to  him,  — 

"  Father  Francesco,  educated  as  I  was  in  the 
Protestant  religion,  I  had  a  natural  suspicion 
of  all  Catholic  priests  ;  and  I  must  honestly  con- 
fess, that  once  or  twice  I  doubted  whether  you 
were  not  a  hypocrite,  but  now  I  know  that 
you  are  a  saint ; "  and  he  shook  his  hand  very 
cordially,  as  if  apologising  for  it. 


CONCLUSION.  369 

The  good  monk  blushed  like  a  girl,  at  this 
unexpected  acknowledgment,  and,  meekly  bow- 
ing his  head,  said  humbly,  — 

"  I  am  only  a  poor  servant  of  the  Lord." 

"  Well,  well !  true  virtue  is  always  modest. 
I  will  only  say,  that,  if  all  Catholic  priests  were 
like  you,  I  think  that  I  would  turn  Catholic 
myself." 

"  Our  holy  religion  is  not  responsible  for  its 
bad  servants,  and  unfortunately  there  are  many 
such.  But  come,  let  me  see  your  beautiful 
villa,"  he  said,  turning  to  Edith  and  Silvio,  to 
change  the  conversation. 

They  took  him  all  over  the  house.  It  was 
what  might  have  been  expected  of  two  artists, 
both  in  elegance  and  taste.  Edith's  land- 
scapes, and  Silvio's  best  works,  with  many 
other  choice  paintings,  hung  in  every  room. 
Edith's  dream  had  been  realized ;  for  in  the 
studio  that  Silvio  had  built  out  from  the  rear  of 
the  villa  hung  her  portrait  as  a  Madonna,  with 
her  own  baby  in  her  arms.  But  their  bed- 
chamber contained  the  gems  of  their  collec- 
tion :  over  the  bed,  in  the  post  of  honor,  hung 
Silvio's  portrait  of  his  mother,  and  opposite, 


37O  LEONE. 

his  painting  of  St.  Jerome.  They  all  stopped 
before  it,  looking  up  at  it  with  a  rush  of  pain- 
ful emotion.  Father  Francesco,  lifting  his 
hand,  said  devoutly,  "Peace  be  to  his  soul!" 
for  the  painting  was  a  picture  of  St.  Jerome, 
but  the  face  was  the  face  of  Leone. 


211  TBEMONT  STREET,  BOSTON, 
Summer,  1882. 


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